Ukraine’s Air Force Commander Fired After F-16 Crash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, following the fatal crash of an F-16 fighter jet on Monday. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Oleksii Mes, was killed in the incident. The circumstances of the crash remain unclear, but a US official, speaking anonymously, attributed the incident to pilot error. Zelenskyy announced the dismissal via Telegram, stating that he had decided to replace the Air Force commander. The news comes just weeks after the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine, with the country praising the jets’ effectiveness in repelling Russian missile attacks. Prior to his dismissal, Oleshchuk had initiated a joint investigation with the United States to determine the cause of the crash.