The so-called Ghost of Kyiv died in battle last month, reports say. It is claimed that the pilot ace shot down up to 40 Russian aircraft during the war. Although many assumed he was a legend, his identity was revealed to be that of Major Stepan Tarabalka.
A famous Ukrainian fighter pilot nicknamed the Ghost of Kiev died in the battle, local sources told the Times of London. The Ghost of Kiev first appeared when the Ukrainian government posted on Twitter a video crediting the then anonymous pilot of shooting down six Russian aircraft on the first day of the war. It has been claimed that it continued to shoot down up to 40 Russian aircraft. His identity has now been revealed as Major Stepan Tarabalka, 29, was killed on March 13 when “overwhelming” Russian forces shot down his MiG-29, the Times reported. Ukrainian sources told the newspaper that the helmet and glasses were expected to be sold at auction in London. “People call him the Ghost of Kiev. And rightly so – this UAF ace dominates the skies of the capital and our country and has already become a nightmare for the invasion of Russian aircraft,” the tweet said. Days before his death, the General Staff of Ukraine released a picture of the pilot of the fighter in the cockpit of the MiG-29 aircraft with his face hidden, with the caption: “Hello, holder, I come for your soul ! “ Because his identity was kept secret, many assumed that the Kiev Ghost was a myth designed to boost Ukrainian morale. However, the government continued to insist that it was true. Tarabalka was born in the small village of Korolivka to a working-class family and graduated from Kharkiv National Air Force University, the Times reported. He leaves behind his wife Olena and their eight-year-old son Yarik. His parents, Ivan and Natalia, gave an interview to NPR after their son’s death and described his lifelong dream of becoming a fighter pilot. “He was always watching the paratroopers in their air exercises. And he was running in their direction to see where they landed. From a young age, he always dreamed of the sky, flying high above the clouds,” said Natalia’s mother. NPR. The story goes on His father told NPR that they were not told the details of their son’s last flight, except that he did not return after completing a mission. His parents confirmed that the fighter pilot had been posthumously awarded Ukraine’s top medal for bravery in battle, the Gold Star Order, with the title Hero of Ukraine. “Of course, he had already won and he deserved this medal, this honor, when he was with us,” Ivan told NPR. “We are proud of him. But we wish he had that honor after the war. I wish he was still alive.” Read the original article in Business Insider
