He announced this in his Telegram channel.“Today, I appointed Lieutenant General Anatolii Kryvonozhko as Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. What matters most is that Ukrainian combat aviation and air defense continue to develop in a comprehensive and effectively coordinated manner – through the joint efforts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, our partner teams, and dedicated, professional experts who want Ukraine to be strong and victorious,” Zelenskyy wrote.He noted the important role of the Ukrainian Air Force in holding back Russian aggression, emphasizing that thanks to the work of combat aviation, anti-aircraft missile units, and radar troops, Ukraine has not allowed Russia to gain control in the skies.“These are thousands of our people – service members, technical specialists, experts, and volunteers – who protect the sky over Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated.The president stressed that the Air Force is already implementing a 20-year development strategy, which includes the integration of modern foreign equipment. In particular, Mirage fighter jets are already in use, the fleet of F-16s is being expanded, and an aviation component capable of operating under NATO standards is being built.He also mentioned that most details about combat aviation remain classified for security reasons, but emphasized that the path Ukrainian aviation has taken since the start of the full-scale war is unprecedented.“The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is made up of thousands of our people who make sure that the Ukrainian skies remain truly Ukrainian,” the president said.Changes in Ukraine's Air force commandOn August 30, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Mykola Oleshchuk from his position as commander of the Ukrainian Air Force. Oleshchuk had served in this role since 2021. The change followed confirmation by the General Staff that an F-16 fighter jet crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack, resulting in the death of pilot Oleksii Mes.At the time, Member of Parliament Maryana Bezuhla claimed that the F-16 provided by Ukraine’s partners was allegedly shot down by Ukrainian air defense and that the military leadership was hiding this fact. In response, then-Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk stated that no information was being hidden and called the MP “the main newsmaker of enemy propaganda.”The Air Force was temporarily headed by Lieutenant General Anatolii Kryvonozhko.