After Taking Down 40 Russian Jets, The “Ghost Of Kyiv” Dies In Battle.

According to The Times, a Ukrainian jet pilot nicknamed “the Ghost of Kyiv” was killed in action last month after allegedly taking down as many as 40 Russian planes.  

When the mystery airman was discovered to have died, his name was confirmed to be Major Stepan Tarabalka, 29 years old. Media accounts state that he was killed after the MiG-29 he was piloting was gunned down on March 13 while engaged in combat with “overwhelming” enemy troops in eastern Afghanistan.  

As a result of the government’s claim that Tarabalka was responsible for downing six Russian aircraft on the first day of the conflict, the Ukrainian people referred to him as “a guardian angel.”

His true identity had not yet been revealed at the time. His reputation for mystery and mysterious character, the Ghost of Kyiv, may have been enhanced by the aura of secrecy around him.  

He is referred to as the Ghost of Kiev by the locals, and rightfully so,” the Ukrainian government stated in an official tweet, adding that he had “already become a nightmare for intruding Russian planes.”  

After that, Ukraine’s General Staff posted another photo on Twitter showing the ace fighter pilot in the cockpit of his MiG-29 aircraft with his face hidden and the message “Hello, occupier, I’m coming for your soul!”  

Major Tarabalka was posthumously granted the Order of the Golden Star, which is Ukraine’s highest decoration for combat valor, as well as the title of Hero of Ukraine, in recognition of his actions during the conflict. His wife, Olenia, and son, Yarik, who is eight years old, will take care of the kid.  

It has been reported by The Times that Major Tarabalka was born into a working-class family in the tiny Ukrainian town of Korolivka in the western part of the country. Seeing fighter planes racing through the sky above his hamlet as an infant inspired him to pursue a career as a pilot as a kid.  

Neither his last flight nor his death, according to Major Tarabalka’s parents, were disclosed by the Ukraine’s military. He was flying on a mission, and we know that.

“- His purpose and his assignment were successfully accomplished by him. That was followed by his absence. According to his father, Evon, “that is all the information we have.”  

Many wondered if the Ghost of Kyiv was a genuine ghost or just an urban legend concocted by the Ukrainian government to raise morale during the country’s economic crisis. His undercover activities were kept secret, even from Tarabalka’s family.

Unfortunately, the public only learned the truth about him after he passed away. His legacy will go on long after the man himself has passed away.  

Published By : Sachin Soanwane