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Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the commander of Ukraine’s air force amid debate over the destruction of one of the country’s valuable new F-16 fighter jets. <\/b><\/p>\n Mr Zelensky did not specify the reason for dismissing Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk, but said he had a responsibility to “take care of all our warriors”. <\/p>\n The US-made F-16 – one of several delivered earlier this month by Ukraine’s Western allies – went down on Monday, killing the pilot. <\/p>\n Even though it happened during a barrage of Russian missiles, Ukraine said the cause of the crash was not a direct result of an enemy strike, and Lt Gen Oleshchuk sparred with some politicians over who was to blame for the loss.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has seized a large part of territory in the east of the country.<\/p>\n But Ukraine also launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s western Kursk region early this month – and says its troops have been advancing deeper into Russia.<\/p>\n In response, Russia has intensified its attacks across Ukraine. <\/p>\n On Friday, a 14-year-old girl was killed after a Russian guided bomb hit a playground in the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, local officials say.<\/p>\n At least six other people were killed and 59 injured as a 12-storey residential building was also hit in the city which is close to the Russian border.<\/p>\n President Zelensky renewed his calls for all Ukraine’s international partners to allow it to hit targets inside Russia to prevent such attacks. <\/p>\n His office said Moscow’s forces had fired more than 400 drones and missiles at Ukraine over the past week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In a post on Telegram, Mr Zelensky said he had decided to replace Lt Gen Oleschuk, noting that “at the command level, we must strengthen ourselves and protect our people”. <\/p>\n Ukraine’s air force earlier named the killed pilot as Col Oleksiy Mes. <\/p>\n “He fought heroically his last battle in the skies,” it said, adding that he had shot down three cruise missiles and a drone on 26 August.<\/p>\n Col Mes, whose call sign was Moonfish, was one of Ukraine’s most experienced pilots. He had been trained abroad for F-16 missions.<\/p>\n Lt Gen Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed interim commander of Ukraine’s air force, the army’s general staff said in a statement. He previously oversaw the central air command, leading operations in the centre of the country. <\/p>\n He takes charge as officials have clashed over the loss of the F-16 jet, which has ignited fierce debate in Ukraine. <\/p>\n Ukrainian politician Mariana Bezuhla, who sits on a parliamentary defence committee, claimed on Thursday that the jet was downed by Ukraine’s Patriot air defence system. <\/p>\n Mr Oleshchuk responded earlier on Friday that an investigation was under way and no-one was hiding anything. He accused Ms Bezuhla of discrediting military leadership and said the time would come for an apology. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Around 65 F-16s have been pledged by Nato countries since US President Joe Biden first authorised willing European allies to send them to Ukraine in August 2023.<\/p>\n Mr Zelensky has dismissed several military commanders since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. <\/p>\n In February this year, he sacked the commander-in-chief<\/a> of the country’s armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. <\/p>\n