Ghost of Kyiv: unconfirmed Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot credited with six kills

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The Ghost of Kyiv. The evocative name is trending on Twitter and other social media sites, and refers to a Ukrainian MIG-29 pilot who allegedly shot down six Russian jets in the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Link to tweet

According to one, much-shared post, the Ghost of Kyiv has downed two SU-35s, one SU-27, one MIG-29 and two SU-25s.

Link to tweet

Under generally recognised air warfare naming conventions any pilot who manages five 'kills' (destroying or downing an enemy plane) is recognised as an 'Ace'. With six kills in one day the Ghost of Kyiv would therefore be an Ace after just one day of combat. (There has always been something rather terrifying of chalking up kills in this manner, as if it were just sport, merely scoring goals against an opposition, rather than the truth of the opposing pilot being burnt to death in an airborne fireball, or perishing as their stricken craft smashes into the ground).

Is the Ghost of Kyiv real?

So far, there has been no confirmation that the Ghost of Kyiv truly exists. What we do know is that the Ukrainian defence forces have said seven Russian aircraft have been downed during Thursday's conflict. Whether six of these were one by pilot of Kyiv seems unlikely given that the fighting has taken place over a number of battle zones across the country.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ghost-of-kyiv-unconfirmed-ukrainian-mig-29-pilot-credited-with-six-kills/ar-AAUhk0Z

[katusha]

1. i think it has been confirmed

at least they are showing pics of him/her:
https://twitter.com/search?q=ghost%20of%20kiev&src=typed_query

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FMdbu3bWYAcvhTP?format=jpg&name=900x900

[madville]

7. That photo and similar others are from a Chinese website about that model helmet

Published on April 26th. It does say that it is an image of a Ukrainian MIG29 pilot. Seems fishy either way, both that it is a picture of this alleged pilot and that they supposedly shot down 6 advanced Russian aircraft in a matter of hours.

[Cha]

2. Rt TY & the Courage of

Ukraine & The Ghost of Kyiv.

[uponit7771]

3. K&R, Pentagon is reporting Russia doesn't have air superiority over UKR yet. I'm NOT impressed with

... Russian attack.

[Chainfire]

4. Ace in a day.

Keep up the good work!

[jmowreader]

5. This is probably Ukrainian PSYOPs

One guy shooting down six of Russia’s most advanced combat aircraft in one day does sound like they’re stretching the truth just a bit to scare the govno out of the Russians.

On the other hand, this COULD have happened. The Russian military is a lot weaker than it was when I was studying them for the US Army (and they weren’t all that good back then) and the Ukrainians are taking this extremely seriously. Plus, a Fulcrum has six missile rails, so the Ghost of Kyiv could have done this in one load of ordnance.

True story: unlike the West, the Russians don’t name their aircraft. You know that an A-10 is a Thunderbolt II, an F-14 was a Tomcat and an F-15 is an Eagle. Well…the Russians learned the NATO reporting name for the jet this pilot has is Fulcrum. They liked it a lot so everyone started calling it that.

[ffr]

6. Buy this man a beer and send him backup!

[madville]

8. Seems like an internet meme

Give them some positive moral boosting news but I'd still bet against this having actually happened. The image of this supposed pilot going around now is from a Chinese website about the helmet, published well before all this. Did they think no one would reverse image search it?

[peggysue2]

9. It's a great story but sounds more like an urban legend

Great morale booster that some unnamed hero is wiping out Russians in the sky, particularly as things heat up and the on-the-ground experience becomes ever more tense and dangerous.

Without confirmation it remains a folk tale that speaks to the heart and soul of a country in desperate straits. And that's okay. It provides hope in a pretty dark, hopeless situation.

We all want heroes with extraordinary abilities and power. Part of our storytelling natures.