News

Ukraine Now Admits ‘The Ghost Of Kyiv’ Never Really Existed

   DailyWire.com
LVIV, UKRAINE - APRIL 22: A t-shirt featuring "The Ghost of Kyiv" is seen at the Aviatsiya Halychyny clothing company on April 22, 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine. The company has been producing shirts featuring pro-Ukrainian slogans and images for sale in stores across the region. Lviv has served as a stopover and shelter for the millions of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, either to the safety of nearby countries or the relative security of western Ukraine.
(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The Ghost of Kyiv — an internet legend and supposed hero who reportedly shot down 40 enemy planes since Russia invaded Ukraine — never actually existed, the Eastern European nation has now admitted.

Recently, various media outlets reported that Major Stepan Tarabalka, a 29-year-old Ukrainian father who was recently killed in battle, was the heroic “Ghost of Ukraine.” On Sunday, the New York Post reported that the Ukrainian air force announced on its Facebook page that those reports were not true, and that the alleged near-mythological pilot was simply a myth.

“Ghost of Kyiv is a superhero-legend whose character was created by Ukrainians!” the Ukrainian Air Force Command’s Facebook account shared in a post.

“Hero of Ukraine Stepan Tarabalka is NOT ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ and he did NOT hit 40 planes,” the post added.

On Twitter, the UAF provided more detail.

“The information about the death of the The Ghost of #Kyiv is incorrect,” the Ukrainian air force tweeted.

“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,” it noted.

Ukrainian member of parliament Lesia Vaslynko added to that message, admitting that the Ghost was not an actual human.

“A few point on the Ghost of Kyiv: ⁃he is alive and well ⁃he can’t be killed – he is a ghost ⁃he IS a legend ⁃he is all those brave ace pilots that appear out of nowhere protecting the skies,” Vaslynko tweeted.

While many have long suspected that the unnamed pilot was fictional, former Ukrainian officials like President Petro Poroshenko seem to have claimed that he was a real person.

“In the photo – the MiG-29 pilot. The same ‘Ghost of Kiev.’ It terrifies enemies and pride Ukrainians,” Poroshenko tweeted in late February. “He has 6 victories over Russian pilots! With such powerful defenders, Ukraine will definitely win!”

Ukraine’s Staff of the Armed Forces’ Facebook page had also posted a photo reportedly of the Ghost of Ukraine.

“‘Hello, Russian villain, I’m flying for your soul!’ – the Ghost of Kyiv,” the post said alongside a photo of a Ukrainian pilot.

Now, it is evident that the Ghost never existed and was used instead to rally Ukrainians against invading Russian forces. Ukrainian military historian Mikhail Zhirohov told The BBC that the entire story was “propaganda for raising morale.”

“It’s essential to have this propaganda, because our armed forces are smaller, and many think we can’t be equal to them [the Russians]. We need this in wartime,” Zhirohov added.

Likewise, a Ukrainian military expert “who requested anonymity told the BBC the Ghost of Kyiv story ‘has helped to raise morale at a time when people need simple stories.’”

Create a free account to join the conversation!

Already have an account?

Log in

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
Download Daily Wire Plus

Don't miss anything

Download our App

Stay up-to-date on the latest
news, podcasts, and more.

Download on the app storeGet it on Google Play
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Ukraine Now Admits ‘The Ghost Of Kyiv’ Never Really Existed