Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday dismissed the commander of the country’s Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk.
His removal was announced just a day after the Ukrainian military said an F-16 fighter jet had crashed and its pilot was killed while fending off Russian airstrikes on Monday.
“I have decided to replace the commander of the Air Force … I am eternally grateful to all the pilots of our Air Force,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky in his evening address.
The plane crash
He did not give an explanation for the reasons for the dismissal, but said that staff must be protected and that there is a need to strengthen the level of management.
The General Staff of Ukraine said that Lieutenant General Anatoliy Kryvonozhka will temporarily perform the duties of commander.
The Ukrainian military did not give a cause for the F 16 crash, but said the aircraft went down while approaching a Russian target. Oleshchuk said Monday that US partners were helping to investigate the incident.
A US defense official told Reuters that the crash did not appear to be the result of Russian fire and that possible causes, ranging from pilot error to mechanical failure, were still being investigated.
The crash of the plane, which was among the first to arrive in Ukraine, is a major blow to Kiev, which has long been trying to convince the West to provide it with even more aircraft and weapons.
A 14-year-old girl among the dead from the Russian strike on a playground
A 14-year-old girl has died after a Russian strike in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on a playground. As the BBC reports, at least five other people were killed and dozens injured when the attacks also hit a residential block of flats near the border with Russia.
Footage from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke billowing from the top of the building as firefighters helped people escape to safety.
This is what Russians just did to building full of families in Kharkiv while the US protects the Russian airfields launching these attacks.
Several children are already among the many victims. pic.twitter.com/HxOJpzN1Ak
— Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) August 30, 2024
Russia struck Kharkiv today with UMPB D-30 glide bombs, killing at least six people, including a child, and injuring 59 others, according to local authorities. pic.twitter.com/yyTKYg3lsU
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) August 30, 2024
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his calls for Ukraine’s international allies to allow it to strike targets inside Russia in order to prevent such attacks. The attacks came just hours before Zelenskiy removed his air force chief, Lt. Gen. Mykola Olestuk.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is about 35 kilometers from the Russian border and has been a frequent target of attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Regional governor Oleg Sinegubov said via Telegram that at least 59 people were injured. , of which 20 are in serious condition and some require amputation. Nine children were also injured in the attacks.
Further pictures showed part of the building’s outer wall collapsed, while several cars outside were engulfed in flames. Sinegubov said the attacks were launched from Russia’s Belgorod region, which is just across the border. “Let’s be clear: there were guidance systems on the missiles. We draw a conclusion,” he said.
Ukraine, Kharkiv. A Russian airstrikes hits the entrance of a 12-story building. Three people have been reported dead.
One more hit occurred in Nemyshlyansky district. A girl was killed on a playground, three people were wounded.
Child murdering is russian culture. Russia is a… pic.twitter.com/GNhDhNz9U2
— Fared Al Mahlool | Farid Al Mahlool (@FARED_ALHOR) August 30, 2024
“These streets are exclusively parks with large gatherings of citizens. This is a residential area. This is, once again, mass terrorism against our civilian population.” Zelensky said Russia targeted “ordinary” people and that the attacks could have been prevented if Ukraine had been able to destroy Russian military aircraft at their bases. “This is a perfectly legitimate need. There is no logical reason to limit Ukraine’s defense,” he stressed.
The Russian strike on Kharkiv directly on people, on ordinary house. All services are currently engaged in the rescue operation. I thank everyone who is helping to save lives at this moment.
This strike was carried out using a Russian guided aerial bomb—a strike that could have… pic.twitter.com/ydRfqPju6n
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2024
Long range weapons
Ukraine’s Western allies have largely avoided using their weapons for attacks on Russian soil, fearing an escalation of the conflict. The UK has allowed many of its weapons systems to be used by Ukraine to hit Russia, but excludes the long-range Storm Shadow missile systems. In May, the US allowed Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia, but only near the Kharkiv region and only in response to Russian attacks or preparations for attacks.
However, the US continues to deny permission to strike deeper into Russian territory. “We need long-range capabilities and full implementation of agreements on air defense of Ukraine. These are life-saving measures,” Zelenskiy emphasized.
In his post, Volodymyr Zelensky names the deceased as Sophia. As he says, “rescue operations continue in Kharkiv in the places hit by the Russian bombs. Tragically, there are dead, including a child – a girl named Sophia, who would have turned 15 this fall.”
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