'Ghost of Kyiv' killed in fighting, has shot down 40 Russian jets

'Ghost of Kyiv', a Ukrainian fight pilot known to have shot down nearly 40 Russian fighter jets has died in battle, as per a report in The Times of London. The Ukrainian pilot who gained fame for his bravery in the wake of Russian invasion of Ukraine which started on February 24 this year.

The identity of 'Ghost of Kyiv' has also been revealed in the report. The Times of London reported tha Major Stepan Tarabalka.

Media reports say that Major Tarabalka's fighter jet was shot down on March 13 when he was tackling overwhelming number of enemy forces. Major Tarabalka's goggles and helmet are now going to be auctioned.

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"People call him the Ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so — this UAF ace dominates the skies over our capital and country, and has already become a nightmare for invading Russian aircrafts," tweeted official account of Ukraine government on February 22 this year, highlighting the bravery of Major Traabalka.

Major Tarabalka was declared to have shot down 6 Russian fighter jets on the first day of the war.

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The Times reported that Stepan Tarabalka was born in Korolivka, a small village in western Ukraine. He hailed froma working class family. It was his dream to become a fighter pilot since his childhood.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.