According to several sources, the mystery “Ghost of Kyiv,” a Ukrainian fighter pilot who is said to have shot down scores of Russian planes, has been killed in the war.
The death of the pilot was confirmed by The Times of London, which also named the “Ghost of Kyiv” as Major Stepan Tarabalka, a 29-year-old father of one.
Tarabalka has been hailed as a hero for shooting down as many as 40 Russian planes.
On March 13, he was said to have been shot down.
He was slain, according to the Times of London, while fighting a “overwhelming” number of enemy forces.
Tarabalka was posthumously granted the Order of the Golden Star, Ukraine’s highest military honour, along with the title Hero of Ukraine.
According to The Times of London, The Ukrainian pilot hailed as the “Ghost of Kyiv” was killed in battle on March 13.
He’s been identified as Major Stepan Tarabalka, a 29 yr-old father of 1. pic.twitter.com/QKQt3dsOgh
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 29, 2022
The Ghost of Kyiv’s helmet and goggles will be auctioned off in London, according to the same article.
When the Ukrainian government credited the then-anonymous pilot with shooting down six Russian jets on the first day of the war, the legend of the Ghost of Kyiv was born.
“People call him the Ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so,” the official tweet said, saying he had “already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircraft”.
“Hello, occupier, I’m coming for your soul!” Ukraine’s General Staff then posted another photo of the ace fighter pilot in the cockpit of his MiG-29 jet with his face hidden.