Ghost of Kyiv is a myth, Moniker belongs to all pilots: Ukraine officials
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Ukraine officials have clarified that 'Ghost of Kyiv' is not one fighter pilot but a legend. The Air Force Command said that the moniker is a superhero legend created by Ukrainians.
Initially, it was thought that the Ghost of Kyiv was a fighter pilot who shot down close to 40 Russian jets and died in the process. Rumours about his identity and posthumous honours were circulating on social media platforms.
On Saturday, the Air Force Command of UA Armed Forces clarified that the name is a symbol for all hero pilots. The statement on the official Facebook page asked the Ukrainian community not to neglect the basic rules of information hygiene and urged people to check resources of information before spreading it.
The legend of the Ghost of Kyiv started circulating just a day after Russia began its attack. Many on social media spoke of a fighter pilot who shot down 10 Russian aircrafts.
Many major media outlets had earlier hailed the Ghost of Kyiv as Major Stepan Tarabalka, a 29-year-old posted at the capital during the Russian invasion. His identity was revealed by the Times of London.
The Ukrainian authorities had confirmed that he was killed in combat on March 13. He was honoured with a Hero of Ukraine medal posthumously. The Air Force Command clarified that Tarabalka is not Ghost Kyiv and did not hit 40 planes.
The Ukrainian Air Force also took to Twitter to state that the information about the death of The Ghost of Kyiv is incorrect. The official account tweeted that the Ghost of Kyiv is alive and it embodies the collective spirit of the highly qualified pilots of the Tactical Aviation Brigade who are successfully defending Kyiv and the region.