(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, rumors about a legendary Ukrianian pilot known as the “Ghost of Kyiv” circulated, which have now been confirmed as false, Daily Caller reported.
Rumors Circulate Of Ukrainian Pilot Known As ‘The Ghost Of Kyiv’ Smoking Russian Planes https://t.co/uI9pwRdl1n
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 20, 2022
The pilot was identified as Major Stepan Tarabalka, who was killed in combat in March. While Tarabalka was a distinguished war hero, he was not the “Ghost” —because there never was such a person, Ukraine said.
Ukrainian officials explained, “Hero of Ukraine Stepan Tarabalka is NOT ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ and he did NOT shoot down 40 planes,” according to the New York Post.
The official account for the Ukrainian Air Force claimed the Ghost of Kyiv was never a singular person, but a spirit of victory and determination among all of the pilots of the Tactical Aviation Brigade.
The information about the death of the The Ghost of #Kyiv is incorrect. The #GhostOfKyiv is alive, it embodies the collective spirit of the highly qualified pilots of the Tactical Aviation Brigade who are successfully defending #Kyiv and the region.
— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) May 1, 2022
Many believe the misunderstanding was due to a translation mistake, as the words “spirit” and “ghost” are very similar in the Ukrainian language.
However, the Ukrainian government did contribute to this tall tale, posting comments encouraging the rumors.
“People call him the Ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so,” the government tweeted in February of the reputed mysterious figure, saying the pilot had “already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircraft.”
Many people were suspicious of the story from the beginning, claiming posted footage was from a video game.
#stoprussia
Що виробляє цей український ас 😳🤜
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МіГ-29 Повітряних Сил ЗСУ знищує “нєімєющій аналогов” Су-35 російських окупантів ❌❌❌ pic.twitter.com/z6YVnm8ezo— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 25, 2022
