Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has dismissed Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk following the crash of an F-16 fighter jet during a combat mission against Russia.
Zelenskyy announced the dismissal during his video address on Friday. He did not mention the reason for the decision.
The move is seen to be associated with the crash of an F-16 jet on Monday that killed its pilot. The plane was defending against a Russian airstrike at the time.
Ukraine’s defense ministry has set up a special investigation committee to identify the cause of the crash.
Media reports have cited friendly fire or technical errors as possible causes.
A member of Ukraine’s parliament insisted on social media on Friday that the F-16 jet was shot down by Ukraine’s air defense systems. The lawmaker criticized Oleshchuk for his silence.
The commander responded on social media that no one is hiding anything. He also wrote that the lawmaker not only slandered him personally and the Air Force, but also discredited Ukraine’s ally, the United States.
Oleshchuk closed his post by saying, “The whole of Russia applauds you!”