A Ukrainian fighter pilot known as the “Ghost of Kiev” was killed in combat last month after shooting down as many as 40 Russian planes. London times reported. The publication also identified the brave pilot as Major Stepan Tarabalka, a 29-year-old father of one, as the war hero.
The British newspaper also said the Tarabalka, flying a MiG-29, was shot down on March 13 while fighting an “overwhelming” number of enemy forces.
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The fighter pilot was posthumously awarded Ukraine’s highest medal for bravery in combat, the Order of the Gold Star, according to his family, quoted by the Time† He was also awarded the title of the Hero of Ukraine.
His helmet and goggles are now up for auction in London, according to the Time†
Tarabalka gained worldwide fame after shooting down 10 Russian planes on the first day of the invasion. “People call him the Spirit of Kiev. And rightly so,” the Ukrainian government tweeted last month.
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According to the TimeMajor Tarabalka was born into a working-class family in western Ukraine in a small village named by Korolivka and wanted to be a pilot since childhood.
With the revelation of his identity, reports that the “Ghost of Kiev” could be an urban legend have been put to rest. His bravery served as a huge boost to the morale of the Ukrainian troops in the face of overwhelming odds.
Major Tarabalka’s parents were quoted by the Time that the Ukrainian army has not provided them with information about his last flight or death “We know that he flew on a mission, and he completed the mission, his task. After that he did not return. That’s all the information we have.”