The propaganda is alive and well...
On a more-serious note, 'Wow! talk about skirting around a problem!
FlightRadar
Quote:Ghost of Kyiv: unconfirmed Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot credited with six killsSource:
Twitter and social media have been hailing the exploits of an unknown Ukrainian
Fulcrum pilot who has allegedly shot down six Russian planes.
'The Ghost of Kyiv. The evocative name is trending on Twitter and other social media sites,
and refers to a Ukrainian MIG-29 pilot who allegedly shot down six Russian jets in the first
day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Accompanying many of the Ghost of Kyiv posts is footage of what appears to be a MIG-29
-known under NATO's naming scheme as a Fulcrum - though most posts have exactly the
same short clip -the plane flying over concrete tower blocks of housing with grey skies behind.
Ghost of Kyiv awarded Ace status online
According to one, much-shared post, the Ghost of Kyiv has downed two SU-35s, one SU-27,
one MIG-29 and two SU-25s.
Visegrád 24
@visegrad24
These are the 6 Russian planes that the Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot “Ghost of Kyiv”
is alleged to have shot down today.
Under generally recognised air warfare naming conventions any pilot who manages five 'kills'
(destroying or downing an enemy plane) is recognised as an 'Ace'. With six kills in one day
the Ghost of Kyiv would therefore be an Ace after just one day of combat.
(There has always been something rather terrifying of chalking up kills in this manner, as if it
were just sport, merely scoring goals against an opposition, rather than the truth of the
opposing pilot being burnt to death in an airborne fireball, or perishing as their stricken
craft smashes into the ground).
Is the Ghost of Kyiv real?
So far, there has been no confirmation that the Ghost of Kyiv truly exists. What we do know is
that the Ukrainian defence forces have said seven Russian aircraft have been downed during
Thursday's conflict. Whether six of these were one by pilot of Kyiv seems unlikely given that the
fighting has taken place over a number of battle zones across the country.
What cannot be denied though is that the idea of the Ghost of Kyiv has gripped social media
users, particularly staunch supporters of Ukraine. In the replies to the posts about the alleged
ace's exploits many users express their admiration and hope that the Ghost will carry on taking
the fight to the superior Russian air force.
Maybe the Ghost of Kyiv is just a fantasy, but for the people of Ukraine, he or she is a hero they
want to believe in...'
On a more-serious note, 'Wow! talk about skirting around a problem!
FlightRadar
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