President Zelensky fired Mykola Oreshchuk, saying the nation wanted to “shield individuals.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired the commander of the nation’s air power, 4 days after an F-16 fighter jet Ukraine obtained from Western companions crashed in a Russian bombing, killing the pilot.
The order to fireside Mykola Oleshchuk was revealed on the presidential web site on Friday.
“We have to shield individuals. Shield personnel. Care for all our troopers. Ukraine must strengthen its army on the command stage,” he mentioned.
The Military Normal Employees mentioned Anatoly Krevonozhko was appointed performing air power commander.
On the identical day of his dismissal, Oreshchuk harshly criticized a member of the Ukrainian parliament’s deputy head of the protection committee for claiming that an F-16 was shot down by a Patriot air protection system. Ukraine has obtained an unknown variety of the U.S.-made methods.
Mariana Bezuhla cited unnamed sources to substantiate her claims and referred to as for these answerable for the error to be punished.
Oreshchuk accused Bezuula of defaming the Air Power and discrediting U.S. arms producers and mentioned he hoped she would face authorized penalties for her remarks.
“The reality will prevail,” Bezuhla posted on X shortly after the dismissal order was issued.
The Air Power didn’t instantly deny that the F-16 was hit by a Patriot missile.
The Ukrainian Air Power mentioned U.S. specialists have joined Ukraine’s investigation into the crash.
A U.S. protection official advised Reuters that the crash didn’t look like brought on by a Russian hearth and that doable causes together with pilot error and mechanical failure remained underneath investigation.
The F-16 is likely one of the weapons that can be utilized to strike Russian bases behind the entrance traces.
Oleshchuk mentioned on Telegram that the reason for the crash of an F-16 jet after Russia launched a large missile and drone assault on Ukraine on Monday had been “analysed intimately.”
“We should take a more in-depth have a look at what occurred, what the circumstances have been and whose accountability it was,” Oreshchuk wrote in a put up shortly earlier than he was fired.
The crash was the primary reported F-16 crash in Ukraine, the place the fighter jets arrived late final month. No less than six are believed to have been delivered by European international locations.
Navy analysts mentioned the plane wouldn’t be a game-changer in warfare, given Russia’s giant air power and superior air protection methods. However Ukrainian officers welcome the supersonic jets, which may carry fashionable weapons utilized by NATO international locations, as they provide a possibility to counter Russian air superiority.
