Ukraine has acknowledged that the pilot called the Spirit of Kiev is a myth – SME

Stories of a pilot who shot down several Russian fighters began to emerge after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. KIEV. On the social networks, the “Spirit of Kiev” was a military hero, a fighter pilot who allegedly shot down several Russian planes. Stories about him began to emerge after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and spread throughout the months, supported by official Ukrainian social media accounts. The article continues under video advertising The article continues under video advertising On Saturday, however, the Ukrainian army confirmed that the legendary pilot is a myth. “The spirit of Kiev is a legend about a superhero, a character created by Ukrainians!” The statement came after several media outlets incorrectly identified the pilot as Major Stepan Tarabalka. The Ukrainian Air Force reported in April that Tarabalka was a real pilot who died in battle on March 13 and was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. But the Ghost of Kiev is alive and embodies the collective spirit of highly qualified tactical aviation brigade pilots who successfully defend Kiev and the surrounding area, “the Ukrainian Air Force added in a separate post on Twitter. after Russia militarily attacked Ukraine on February 24. Social network users then began to spread allegations about an anonymous fighter pilot who shot down several Russian planes without help. Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko posted a photo shared by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense three years ago on February 25, falsely claiming to depict the Kievan spirit who shot down six Russian pilots. The same old photo was shared on the Telegram by the Ukrainian Security Service. (SBU), which in turn claimed that the pilot shot down ten occupying planes. The Times later updated its article with the latest statement from the Ukrainian Air Force, notes AP.War in Ukraine