One hero has emerged during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The big question is whether the hero is real or an urban legend created to drum up support for Ukraine and other countries battling against Russia.
What Happened: The events of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia are unfolding live to viewers of media and social media across the globe.
One unconfirmed story that went viral on social media Thursday is the “Ghost of Kyiv.”
Unconfirmed reports are saying that a Ukrainian fighter pilot downed six Russian jets. This feat would make the fighter pilot a “flying ace,” a nickname for those who down at least five or more aircraft. Flying ace was first coined for fighter pilots during World War I.
Reports say the “Ghost of Kyiv” is flying a MiG-29, also known as Fulcrum and shot down two SU-35s, one SU-27, two SU-25s and one MIG-29, all belonging to Russia.
The phrase “Ghost of Kyiv” is trending across Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) and has seen a sharp rise in interest across Google Trends.
A video shared on Twitter by user Visegrad24 has more than six million views and shows a plane flying over buildings sharing the stats of the unconfirmed war hero.
“Reports are coming that a Ukrainian pilot has shot down 6 Russian Aircraft today and might have possibly become the first 21st century fighter ace,” the tweet reads.
Visegrad24 has more than 99,000 followers and says it is an account covering “news politics, current affairs, history and culture from the Visegrad countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia).
Related Link: How The Stock Market Performs In Times Of War
Why It’s Important: Many have reported on the size of Russia’s military and how it outnumbers Ukraine. The “Ghost of Kyiv” has served as a rallying cry for the country and other parts of the world.
Given no confirmation from major media outlets, many question the legitimacy of the report.
Whether the character is real or not, the legend could continue to gain steam and help Ukraine’s cause to fight back against Russia.
If the “Ghost of Kyiv” does prove to be real, it would likely become the subject of a book and/or movie.
“I’m begging major media to report on whether ‘The Ghost of Kyiv’ really exists. This flying ace immediately becomes a stirring symbol of Ukraine’s resistance to Putin’s war crimes,” bestselling author Seth Abramson tweeted.
Abramson is the author of the 2020 book “Proof of Corruption,” which is about the Russia and Ukraine crisis.
Photo: Screenshot of a Ukrainian MiG-29 via Military Coverage YouTube
