Kyiv, August 31-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, the Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, following the downing of a US F-16 fighter jet in a Russian attack. This decision comes shortly after Ukraine received its first shipment of F-16 fighter jets from NATO allies.

In a video message, President Zelensky stated that the dismissal was aimed at strengthening Ukraine's military leadership amid ongoing conflict with Russia. The presidential office issued a decree on Friday confirming the removal of Lt. Gen. Oleshchuk, though further details were not provided by Kyiv.

The downing of the F-16 represents a significant setback for Ukraine and the NATO alliance. The jet's destruction occurred just a month after its arrival in Ukraine, marking the first loss of such an advanced fighter aircraft since the start of the war.

According to reports from France24, the incident occurred during one of the largest drone and missile attacks by Russia since the beginning of the conflict. Russian forces launched approximately 100 explosive-laden drones and hundreds of missiles targeting various locations across Ukraine, resulting in the destruction of the warplane.

The delivery of the F-16 jets to Ukraine began in July this year, with the first batch being shipped from Denmark and the Netherlands. The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, announced the transfer during NATO's 75th summit, following nearly two years of persistent requests from Ukraine for advanced fighter aircraft to strengthen its defense capabilities.

Ukrainian pilots have undergone extensive training to operate these sophisticated jets at various military bases in France and Britain. Despite the training and preparation, the recent downing highlights the challenges faced by Ukraine in deploying these aircraft effectively in combat against Russian forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been vocal about the implications of Western countries supplying Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets. In a statement earlier this year, Putin warned that the provision of these aircraft would not alter the dynamics on the battlefield and noted their potential to carry nuclear weapons, a factor that Moscow has taken into account in its military planning.

Putin also assured that while NATO countries such as Poland, the Baltic states, or the Czech Republic would not attack Russia, any Western-provided fighters piloting F-16s over Ukraine would be targeted by Russian forces. "It would be a mistake to underestimate the threats posed by Ukraine and NATO," Putin stated.

Initially, NATO countries halted the supply of F-16s to Ukraine following Putin's warnings. However, the alliance later reversed this decision, leading to the recent transfer of the jets to Kyiv.