In times of war and hardship, stories of bravery and heroism can be vital for getting people through tough times and giving hope.
In Ukraine, just two days into the full-scale Russian invasion that commenced on February 24, 2022, one such legend of heroism has already emerged for the defenders.
Russian forces are closing in on the nation’s capital as Kyiv braces to try and hold off the coming attack.
Images of troops in the street have begun to surface, while Russian forces claim they have secured the strategically important Hostomel airport.
But through all the grim horror, one hero is keeping Ukrainian spirits alive - the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’.
What is the Ghost of Kyiv?
The Ghost of Kyiv is a fighter pilot who, unconfirmed reports claim, has so far shot down six Russian jets at the time of writing.
On Twitter, people have been clambering to show their support for the pilot, who has been rousing spirits and getting the world talking.
Video snippets purporting to show the Ghost have been circulating online.
One particular post has specified that the pilot has shot down a variety of Russian planes. The unconfirmed reports claim they have taken down two SU-35s, one SU-27, one MiG 29 and two SU-25s.
Pilots who shoot down five planes tend to be referred to as an ‘ace’, and so if the reports claiming the Ghost has shot down six are true, then they could be recognised as such after just a single day of combat.
Is the Ghost of Kyiv real?
At the time of writing, no evidence has confirmed that the Ghost of Kyiv is definitely real.
Ukrainian defence forces are however claiming that seven Russian fighters were downed on Thursday, February 25.
It seems unlikely that six of these seven have been destroyed by a single pilot given the size of Ukraine and the scale of the conflict, but, there is also no evidence to suggest the rumours are false.
Twitter has lit up with support for the pilot, real or not, celebrating the victory as a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dark time.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the European Union, Mykola Tochytskyi, wrote in a tweet: “One Ukrainian MiG-29 jet fighter pilot scored six victories in a single day in air battles with the Russians. He has been nicknamed the “Ghost of Kyiv”. Another example of the willingness of the Ukrainian people to resist. The civilized world must help protect our freedom!”
Whether the Ghost of Kyiv, who reportedly flies a MiG-29 fighter jet, turns out to be real or not the story has undoubtedly given the world a reminder of the bravery of the Ukrainian resistance.
