Ukraine's Defense Minister Denies Link Between Air Force Commander's Resignation and F-16 Crash

In an interview with CNN, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov addressed Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk's recent resignation, clarifying that it is unrelated to the recent F-16 fighter jet crash.

"It's a rotation," Umerov explained.

Umerov also expressed sorrow over the death of pilot Olexiy Mesya, the pilot of the first F-16 that crashed in Ukraine. He noted an investigation underway, with Ukraine's partners actively involved in the analysis.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the decree for Oleshchuk's resignation on August 30, a day after Kyiv said a US-made F-16 fighter jet had crashed in combat, killing the pilot.

In a video message, Zelensky said he had "decided to replace the commander of the air force" to strengthen Ukraine's military leadership.

At present, Oleshchuk’s role in Monday’s F-16 incident remains unclear. Following the resignation decree, Oleshchuk referenced former Commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny in a statement on his Telegram channel.

"No matter how hard it is for us, we will definitely not be ashamed," Oleschuk wrote.

The crash of the F-16 was a high-profile setback for Kyiv, which had lobbied the West to send the advanced fighter jet for months.

It was the first reported loss, just weeks after Ukraine first started taking delivery of the supersonic aircraft.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) first reported the loss of a Ukrainian F-16 on Thursday, citing comments from an unnamed US official, who alleged that the plane crashed due to pilot errors and was not downed by Russia. 

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The Ukrainian military later confirmed the loss, claiming that “communication was lost” with an F-16 aircraft when it was engaging aerial targets, and “as it turned out later, the plane had crashed, and the pilot was killed.”

It was later known that the F-16 was piloted by Ukrainian pilot Oleksiy Mes, who operated under the call sign “Moonfish.” His funeral took place on Aug. 29 and he was posthumously awarded the rank of colonel.

Lawmaker Mariana Bezugla, who sits on a parliamentary defence, security and intelligence committee, claimed the F-16 was shot down by Ukraine's own air defence systems in a case of friendly fire.

"War is war; such episodes are possible. However, the culture of deceit within the Command of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as in other senior military headquarters, leads to a deterioration in the military decision-making system," the deputy stated.

Bezuhla’s statement was met with outrage by some in the military, including former Air Force Spokesperson Yurii Ihnat who called for an official investigation into Bezuhla’s statement.

In response to those allegations, Oleshchuk accused her of trying to discredit Ukraine's military leaders and said a full investigation into the incident was underway.

The Voice of America in Ukraine quoted an anonymous military official on Thursday that the staff leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is looking into various possibilities of the crash of a Western-donated F-16 fighter aircraft on Monday within its home territory, including the possibility of friendly fire from Ukrainian air defenses.

Speaking to the radio outlet on condition of anonymity, the official said that various possibilities are being considered, including friendly fire, a technical malfunction, and pilot error.