The Ukrainian Air Force has revealed that the ghost of Kiiw, known to have shot down 40 Russian fighter jets, is a fictional character, not a real person.
According to the BBC on the 2nd local time, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a Facebook page on the 1st, “The ghost of Kiiu is a fictional hero created by the Ukrainians.”
The Air Force made this announcement because there were reports that Major Tarabalka, known as the Ghost of Kiiwu, was killed in the fighting.
The Ukrainian Air Force said, “Major Stefan Taravalka is not the ghost of Kiiu.”
“The ghost of Kiiwu is a collective image of the pilots of the Air Force 40th Tactical Wing Brigade who guard the sky beyond the capital,” he added.
Meanwhile, rumors about Kiiwu’s ghost have been floating around on social media such as Twitter and Instagram.
Among the 190 Russian aircraft claimed to have been shot down by Ukraine in this war, the main story was that Major Tarabalka shot down more than 40.
Ukrainian military historian Mikhail Jirokhov said of Kiiu’s ghost story, “Because the Russians had an air superiority in the early days of the war, the Ukrainian army could only have shot down two or three fighters at most.” It is essential,” he said.
The BBC, citing a Ukrainian military expert, said: “The ghost story of Kiiu has helped boost the morale of Ukrainians.”
