Ukrainian fighter pilots have become much less than Russian and legendary – partly thanks to the story of a so-called aviation ace, who was nicknamed the “Ghost of Kiev”.
Information began to circulate that this heroic figure had shot down about 40 enemy planes. Considering the arena where the Russians dominate the skies, that would be an impressive feat.
But now the Ukrainian Air Force Command is on Facebook “Ghost of Kyiv is a legendary superhero created by Ukrainians!” he announced. He added by asking “the Ukrainian society not to neglect the basic rules of ‘information hygiene'” and to “check information sources before disseminating information”.
Earlier reports and reports indicated that the aviation ace would be 29-year-old Major Stepan Tarabalka. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that he died in the operation on March 13, and he was posthumously honored with the Hero of Ukraine medal.
But now the Air Force points out that “Tarabalka is not the ‘Ghost of Kiev’ and did not shoot down 40 aircraft.
The country officially calls the “Ghost of Kyiv” the “40th Anniversary of the Air Force, which defends the skies of the Ukrainian capital.
For weeks, Ukrainians did not know the real name of the “Ghost of Kyiv”, but that didn’t stop the story from going viral on social media around the world and reaching some journalistic organizations.
The character was used, for example, as a marketing piece by the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer, while Ukrainian Iryna Kostyrenko created a military emblem inspired by the legend.
He also celebrated the heroism of the Ukrainian Defense Minister Tarabalka on Twitter.
Military operations experts told the BBC they doubted that a single pilot could shoot down such a large number of aircraft (40).
For Mikhail Zhihoov, an expert on Ukrainian military history, the story “Ghost of Kiev” is “propaganda aimed at boosting morale.” In an interview with the BBC from Chernihiv, he claimed that at that point in the war, the Russians dominated Ukraine’s airspace, so a Ukrainian pilot could “shoot down only two or three enemies”.
“It’s very important to have this kind of propaganda because our Armed Forces are smaller, and many think they can’t match Russia’s. We need it in times of war,” Zhihov argued.
The fact is that the Ukrainian pilots have not yet allowed full control of the airspace by the Russians, who flew lower and older MiG-29s and inspired the legend of modern aviation ace.
Russia had more than two months to destroy the air defense of Ukraine with all its military might. However, this attack has not been successful yet.
Ukrainian authorities inflamed the myth of the “Ghost of Kyiv” just days after the war began.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) captured a fighter pilot on messaging app Telegram with a caption claiming that “Kyiv Ghost” was an “angel” for shooting down 10 Russian planes. The agency did not name the “angel” and later reports pointed out that the photo was outdated.
Image: SBU
An expert on Ukrainian militarism told the BBC, on condition of anonymity, that the story “Ghost of Kiev” “helps lift morale at a time when people need simple stories”.
Justin Crump, of security consultant Sybilline, says the “Ghost of Kiev” myth is important because “people need myths, heroes and legends to provide harmony and meaning” in our social media age.
Pride Shipwreck of the Russian Fleet in the Black Sea
Ukraine’s morale was also boosted by the story of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva, which still has a few loopholes.
After Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014, Ukraine allegedly sank the pride of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea with two nationally produced Neptune missiles.
Russia acknowledged that there was a fire on board and that the ship sank, but did not mention a missile attack. With 12,490 tons, II. It is the largest Russian warship sunk in combat since World War II (1939-45).
The BBC’s Moscow correspondent, Jenny Hill, said the collapse of Moscow was seen by many as a “significant and humiliating” loss for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a “blow to Russian national pride”.
After the sinking, “Russian ships will have to move away from the Ukrainian coast, where they can no longer feel safe,” said Mykola Bielieskov of Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies, who advises the Ukrainian government on military strategy. .
Moscow did not actually fire missiles at Ukrainian ground targets, but military experts told the BBC the ship provided crucial support to other ships.
Legendary pilots in history
Heroic fighter pilots also entered the national mythology of other countries. The United Kingdom celebrates the brave Royal Air Force pilots who outlived the mighty Nazi Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
And Russia itself glorifies the sacrifices of the pilots of the Second World War, who fought with the opponents of Nazi Germany. Some deliberately collided with enemy aircraft after they ran out of shells.
Given such contrasting figures for Russian and Ukrainian casualties, legends like The Ghost in Kiev are not surprising: There’s plenty of room for real make-up.
Image: GETTY IMAGES
For example, on April 30, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Russia has lost 190 aircraft and 155 helicopters in the war so far. But independent military analysts at Oryx put Russian losses at 26 aircraft and 39 helicopters, as well as 48 drones.
Both Russia and Ukraine are very secretive about their losses. Counting is difficult because planes often crash into enemy-controlled areas, and some manage to land back in Russia.
Experts agree that in most cases Russian planes were shot down with surface-to-air missiles, especially portable air defense systems (Manpads).
source: Noticias
