Ukrainian Air Force shares selfie of famous ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ with cryptic message
Last February, the “ghost of Kyiv” was already in the headlines claiming to have brought down five Russian planes and a helicopter. Since then, its supposed count has grown to include 49 Russian aircraft.
On Friday, the Ukrainian Air Force shared a selfie of the famous pilot with an encrypted message.
“Привіт, окупант, я лечу по твою душу! »https://t.co/FMNx8bkQeC pic.twitter.com/n0dx2ZSbtE
— Генеральний штаб ЗСУ (@GeneralStaffUA) March 11, 2022
“Hello, occupier, I’m flying for your soul!” says the caption of the photo with the pilot seen drawing attention to one of the missiles attached to his jet.
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MiG-29 fulcrum
The pilot is notably seated in a MiG-29 (Fulcrum fighter plane), a twin-engine jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. The MiG-29 was developed as an air superiority fighter in the 1970s.
Many of these aircraft were outfitted as multirole fighters capable of performing several different operations. They are also often equipped with a range of air-to-ground armaments and precision ammunition. Newer models feature upgraded engines and increased fuel capacity with the option of aerial refueling.
Meanwhile, in the selfie, the pilot’s face is completely hidden by a helmet, visor and breathing apparatus, making it unclear who he is.
For now, the public is unsure whether the “ghost of Kyiv” was fabricated by the Ukrainian government as war propaganda and whether it actually exists.
The government further tweeted a video of an artist’s impression of the pilot with the caption: “People call him the Ghost of Kyiv.
“And rightly so – this UAF (Ukrainian Air Force) ace dominates the skies of our capital and our country, and has already become a nightmare for invading Russian planes.”
People call him the Phantom of Kiev. And rightly so – this UAF ace dominates the skies of our capital and our country, and has already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircraft. pic.twitter.com/lngfaMN01I
— Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) February 27, 2022
Strong following
One thing is certain, the “Ghost of Kiev” is popular. People took to social media to call him a ‘hero’ and an ‘angel’, while Ukraine’s official Twitter account called him ‘ace’, a nickname a pilot gets once he shot down at least five planes. Claims have circulated that the “Ghost of Kyiv” shot down six planes on the very first day of the Russian invasion. Who is this mysterious character?