Russian Criticism

The Russian ambassador in Washington has criticized the U.S. over the death of a Ukrainian F-16 pilot. Anatoly Antonov claims the August 26 crash, which killed Lieutenant Colonel Oleksiy Mes, was due to poor training by U.S. instructors. Antonov suggested that if the plane had been shot down by Russian forces, the reaction would have been different.

Ukrainian Response

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry rejected Antonov’s claims, calling them part of a misinformation campaign. They have not provided further details about the crash. The incident is a blow to Ukraine’s military, which recently received its first batch of F-16s. President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Mykola Oleshchuk, the head of Ukraine’s air force, amid disputes over the crash.

Investigation and Concerns

An investigation into the crash is ongoing, with no official details yet available. The U.S. and Ukraine are collaborating on the inquiry, which was discussed in a recent meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

The crash has raised concerns among NATO allies about Ukraine’s capability to handle advanced weaponry, especially after receiving six F-16s in August. Mes had been trained on the F-16 at the Skrydstrup base in Denmark and had previously mentioned the aircraft’s complexity and challenging training.