"The Ghost of Kiev": myth or truth?
Images are circulating among Ukrainians of a fighter pilot who allegedly shot down six Russian planes single-handedly and, because of this feat, became known as the "Ghost of Kyiv".
247 - Among the Ukrainian people, the story of the "Ghost of Kiev" circulates, referring to a Ukrainian fighter pilot who allegedly shot down six Russian aircraft single-handedly.
Because of his incredible performance in battle, he earned the nickname. The story is being shared in the country as a way to encourage the people and give hope amidst the war.
A video shows the "Ghost of Kiev" shooting down a Russian plane. The images, however, are not real. The sequence is from the video game Digital Combat Simulator World (DSC). A DCS spokesperson confirmed to Reuters news agency that the material is from the video game.
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (2014-2019) posted a photo of the alleged "Ghost of Kyiv." "With such strong defenders, Ukraine will definitely win!" the post reads.
However, the photo was shared almost three years ago by the official account of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The pilot in question was, at the time, conducting a test flight with a new helmet.
On the internet, users say that the "Ghost of Kiev" is called "Vladmir Abdonov," and they are sharing images.
Some of the photos, however, are clearly not real. A "noise analysis" done with an image processing program, which shows visible traces in altered images, indicates that the photos have been tampered with.
It's impossible to say whether there is indeed a Ukrainian fighter pilot who managed to shoot down six Russian planes, but it can be concluded that many of the videos and photos shared about the supposed "Ghost of Kyiv" are not real. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense addressed the story on Twitter on February 25th: "Dozens of experienced military pilots, from captains to generals, who were previously released from the reserves, are returning to service in the Air Force. Who knows, maybe one of them is the aerial avenger in the MiG-29, who is seen so frequently by the inhabitants of Kyiv!"
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