President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Mykola Oleshchuk from the post of commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is reported by Komersant ukrainskyi
with reference to the relevant presidential decree signed by the guarantor of the Constitution on 30 August.
“Dismiss Oleshchuk Mykola Mykolayovych from the post of Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the document says.
Later, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed to Ukrainians in a video format and explained the reasons for his decision.
“Now is the time for conclusions. I have decided to replace the commander of the Air Force. I am immensely grateful to all our military pilots, engineers, soldiers of mobile fire groups, air defence units. To everyone who is really fighting for Ukraine, for the result,” Zelenskyy said.
What preceded Oleshchuk’s dismissal
It should be noted that Mykola Oleshchuk’s dismissal was preceded by several events. on 26 August, Ukraine lost one of the F-16 fighter jets provided to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the United States.
After the loss of the aircraft became public, MP Mariana Bezuhla stated that the fighter jet was shot down by the Ukrainian air defence system, and the military command concealed the incident.
In response, Mykola Oleshchuk said that the command was not hiding any facts. And he called Bezuhla herself “the main newsmaker of enemy propaganda”.
The MP herself has already reacted to Mykola Oleshchuk’s resignation.
“The truth will prevail,” she wrote.
Who became the new commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Anatoliy Kryvonozhko became the interim commander of the Air Force, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. Until now, he had been the head of the Air Command “Centre” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
From 2006 to 2008, he was the commander of the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade. He was awarded the Order of the Golden Star and has the title of Hero of Ukraine.
