President Zelensky fires Mykola Oleshchuk, says nation must ‘shield employees’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has fired the nation’s air drive commander, 4 days after an F-16 warplane Ukraine obtained from its Western companions crashed throughout a Russian airstrike, killing the pilot.
The order to take away Mykola Oleshchuk from workplace was revealed on the presidential web site on Friday.
“We have to shield folks, shield personnel, handle all our troopers,” Zelenskyy mentioned in a speech minutes after the order was revealed. He mentioned Ukraine must strengthen its army on the command degree.
Anatolii Kryvonozhko has been appointed performing commander of the Air Power, the Military Normal Employees mentioned.
The dismissal got here on the identical day that Oleshchuk sharply criticized a lawmaker who’s deputy chairwoman of the Ukrainian parliament’s protection committee for her claims that the F-16 was shot down by a Patriot air protection system. Ukraine has obtained an unspecified variety of the U.S.-made air protection programs.
Mariana Bezuhla cited nameless sources for her declare and demanded punishment for these accountable for the error.
Oleshchuk accused Bezuhla of defaming the air drive and discrediting American weapons producers and mentioned he anticipated him to face authorized penalties for his claims.
“The reality will win,” Bezuhla posted on X shortly after the firing order was revealed.
The Air Power didn’t straight deny that the F-16 was shot down by a Patriot missile.
U.S. specialists have joined the Ukrainian investigation into the crash, the air drive mentioned.
A U.S. protection official advised Reuters information company the crash didn’t look like the results of Russian hearth and that attainable causes starting from pilot error to mechanical failure had been nonetheless being investigated.
F-16s are one of many weapons that might be used to assault Russian bases behind the entrance line.
Oleshchuk mentioned on Telegram {that a} “detailed evaluation” was already underway into why the F-16 jet went down on Monday, as Russia launched a large missile and drone barrage in opposition to Ukraine.
“We have to rigorously perceive what occurred, what the circumstances are and who’s accountable,” Oleshchuk wrote within the publish shortly earlier than his dismissal.
That is the primary lack of an F-16 in Ukraine, the place the jets arrived late final month. At the very least six of them are believed to have been delivered by European nations.
Army analysts have mentioned the planes won’t be a game-changer within the struggle, given Russia’s huge air drive and complex air protection programs. However Ukrainian officers have applauded the supersonic jets, which may carry trendy weapons utilized by NATO nations, as a result of they provide an opportunity to counter Russia’s air superiority.
