Zelenskyy appoints new commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

On the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the president and supreme commander-in-chief Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed lieutenant general Anatoliy Kryvonozhko as the commander of this branch of the army. This was announced by the head of state in his social networks.

"The most important thing is that Ukrainian combat aviation and air defense forces continue to develop comprehensively and in effective cooperation: The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the General Staff, the Ministry of Defense, the teams of our partners and professional and caring experts who wish Ukraine strength and victory," the president commented on the appointment.

Kryvonozhko has been acting commander of the Air Force since late August 2024, replacing the then head of the Air Force, lieutenant general Mykola Oleshchuk.

In 2006-2008, Kryvonozhko was the commander of the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade, and from 2015 until his appointment as acting head of the Air Force, he headed the Center Air Command.

In 2023, Zelenskyy awarded Kryvonozhko the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy also said that at a meeting with the Air Force on August 3, there were reports "on the steps to be taken" in the development of this type of troops.

"Already this year, the following have entered Ukraine and are being used "Mirages". Enlarged Ukrainian F-16 fleet. We have identified priorities for the integration of foreign equipment in the Defense Forces. The main goal of the transformation of Ukrainian aviation is to provide our country with a strong and modern aviation component of the Defense Forces, which will be an actual part of NATO forces and one of the strongest in Europe," the head of state said.

He noted that almost all the key things about Ukrainian combat aviation are "top secret, and that's understandable," and although "there is indeed something to be proud of, almost everything remains non-public."

"But the path that the Ukrainian aviation has traveled during the years of full-scale war is truly unprecedented, and Ukrainians have proven that the skill of our people and the ability to implement extremely complex tasks are truly exemplary. I thank everyone involved for this," the president summarized.

• Zelenskyy fired the previous commander, Oleshchuk, the day after the Air Force reported that Ukrainian pilot Oleksiy Mes (Moonfish) died on August 26, 2024, while repelling a massive Russian attack. This was the first time Ukraine lost an F-16 fighter jet. In July 2025, the DBR reported LIGA.net that the final causes of the disaster have not yet been established.
• According to open data, as of August 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost four F-16 fighters: three pilots died and one managed to eject.
• In January 2025, after scandal with the transfer of Air Force specialists to the infantry, Zelenskyy instructed Kryvonozhko not to reduce the number of required specialists.