The mysterious Ukrainian fighter pilot, who was hailed as the “ghost of Kyiv” after reportedly shooting down dozens of Russian planes, was killed in action, an outlet said on Friday.
The death of the much-celebrated enigmatic pilot was reported by the Times of London, which for the first time also publicly identified Major Stepan Tarabalka, a 29-year-old father of one child, as the war hero.
Tarabalka was credited with shooting down as many as 40 Russian planes until he himself was shot down on March 13 while fighting an “overwhelming” number of enemy forces, according to the British newspaper.
Tarabalka was posthumously awarded Ukraine’s highest medal for bravery in battle, the Order of the Golden Star, with the title Hero of Ukraine, according to his family.
His helmet and goggles – all seen of him when Ukrainian officials were promoting his heroism – are now set to be auctioned in London, sources told the UK Times while confirming Tarabalka’s identity.
The “Ghost of Kyiv” was identified as Major Stepan Tarabalka.
Tarabalka became a mysterious legend when the Ukrainian government credited the then-anonymous pilot with shooting down six Russian jets on the first day of the war.
“People call him the ghost of Kyiv. And rightly so,” read the official tweet, which said it had “already become a nightmare for invading Russian planes.”
The Ukrainian General Staff later tweeted another picture of the ace fighter pilot in the cockpit of his MiG-29 jet with his face covered and the caption: “Hello occupier, I’m coming for your soul!”
Many people questioned whether the “ghost” was real, as his identity remained a mystery – apparently even to his grieving family when they learned of their loved one’s death last month.
His parents, Nahtalia and Evon Tarabalka, were interviewed by NPR shortly after his death — and they didn’t give his secret status or any indication they knew what missions he’d been on.
“We know he flew on a mission. And he fulfilled the mission, his task. Then he didn’t come back. That’s all the information we have,” his father told the outlet.
“He always dreamed of heaven from an early age,” his mother told NPR.Twitter/@yirmiucderece
“We know he flew on a mission,” his parents said of his death. Twitter/@intel1osint100
Tarabalka’s parents explained how their son’s lifelong dream was to become a fighter pilot while growing up next to a military airfield in the village of Korolivka.
“From an early age, he always dreamed of the sky, of flying higher than the clouds,” his mother told NPR through a translator.
Tarabalka leaves behind a wife and a young son.
“He always watched the paratroopers during their aerial exercises. And he ran in their direction to see where they landed,” Nahtalia said.
His parents said they were amazed when he made his dream come true, despite having no military ties.
“Becoming a pilot was his own effort. He did everything himself. I only helped with prayers,” his mother said.
They confirmed that Tarabalka – who is survived by a wife, Olenia, and an 8-year-old son, Yarik – was awarded the Order of the Golden Star with the title of Hero of Ukraine.
“Of course he had already earned that award while he was with us,” his father told NPR.
“But we wish he could get the honor after the war. We only wish he were alive.”