Ukraine Mourns Pilot's Death in F-16 Incident Amid Leadership Shake-Up

Lt. Col. Oleksiy Mes, a key advocate for F-16s, was killed in a friendly fire incident, prompting President Zelensky to dismiss the Air Force chief.

Lt. Col. Oleksiy Mes, known as 'Moonfish,' was killed when his F-16 was downed by a Patriot missile during a Russian attack.
Mes was instrumental in lobbying for the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine and was one of the first pilots trained to fly them.
President Zelensky dismissed Air Force Chief Mykola Oleshchuk following the incident, citing the need to protect personnel.
Investigations suggest the F-16 was mistakenly targeted by friendly fire, raising questions about air defense coordination.
The loss of Mes and the F-16 represents a significant setback for Ukraine's military efforts against Russian forces.