Who is Ghost of Kyiv ? The story of a mysterious Ukrainian pilot who shot down six Russian jets

While Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine, the urban legend of the “Ghost of Kyiv” gives Ukrainians hope. Reports of an ace Ukrainian pilot, dubbed the “Ghost of Kyiv” by social media users, are going viral. The storey of a folk war hero who allegedly shot down as many as six Russian jets on the first day of the invasion is being circulated online as the world watches the developments of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Misinformation such as movie scenes, video game stills, and unrelated pictures and videos are being passed off as recent events in Ukraine in the midst of the war. So, is the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ a real thing?

According to a widely circulated post, the Ghost of Kyiv shot down four Russian fighter jets — two Su-35 Flankers, one Su-27 Flanker, and one MiG-29 Fulcrum — as well as two ground-attack aircraft, Su-25 Frogfoots.

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❗️One #Ukrainian pilot in 30 hours shot down six #Russian airplanes, including the Su-35, according to the Center for Counteracting Disinformation.

A Ukrainian pilot of a MiG-29 shot down: 2хSU-35, 1хSU-27,1хMiG-29, 2хSU-25. In the network he was called "The Ghost of Kyiv".

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 25, 2022

A Twitter user pointed out that such a kill count would stretch the ammunition capacity of the Soviet-era MiG-29.

“True or not, this is EXACTLY the kind of inspiring story the resistance needs right now,” a Twitter user said.