❗️The Pentagon has refused to confirm media claims that a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet was shot down by a Kiev-owned Patriot system 🤡

Also:

❗️Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykola Oleshchuk was removed from his post by decree of Zelensky.

This happened right after the story of the loss of an F-16 along with its pilot, which was attributed to "friendly fire" from a MIM-104 Patriot air defense system.

Adding next day, morning of 31st:

The American newspaper New York Times confirms the version that the Ukrainian F-16 aircraft was shot down by the Patriot air defense system.

A Western official told the publication about this on condition of anonymity. At the same time, according to him, pilot error or a technical malfunction have not yet been ruled out.

The publication links the dismissal of the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Oleshchuk, to this incident.

The newspaper also writes that the deceased pilot, Alexei Mes, was one of ten Ukrainians “who underwent an accelerated training program before entering combat, which is an element of additional risk.”

“It will take years before the Ukrainian Air Force has sufficient experience to effectively carry out combat missions” on the F-16, the publication writes.