Stepan Tarabalka
{{Short description|Ukrainian fighter pilot (1993–2022)}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Stepan Tarabalka
| birth_name = Stepan Ivanovych Tarabalka
| image =
| caption =
| nickname =
| allegiance = {{flag|Ukraine}}
| branch = {{air force|Ukraine}}
| battles = {{tree list}}
{{tree list/end}}
| rank = Major
| serviceyears = 2014–2022
| awards = {{Hero of Ukraine}} Order of the Gold Star
| spouse = Olenia
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1993|01|09|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|3|13|1993|1|9}}
| birth_place = Korolivka, Kolomyia Raion, Ukraine
}}
Stepan Ivanovych Tarabalka ({{langx|uk|Степан Іванович Тарабалка}}; 9 January 1993 – 13 March 2022), in English media also referred to as Stephen Tarabalka, was a Ukrainian military officer, a pilot and a major in the Ukrainian Air Force. He served during the Russo-Ukrainian War, including the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Early life and education
Tarabalka was born on 9 January 1993 in Korolivka, Kolomyia Raion, Ukraine, where he grew up as part of a poor family. His family regularly worked in Portugal, where they could earn a better living, but returned to Ukraine frequently. He lived near a military base, and constantly saw military aircraft landing nearby, which inspired him from an early age to become a pilot. Tarabalka supported himself through military school and then flight school,{{Cite news |title=One Ukrainian family grieves the loss of their fighter pilot son |language=en |website=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/03/24/1088446883/remembering-ukrainian-fighter-pilot-war-russia |access-date=30 April 2022}} studying at the Ivan Kozhedub National Air Force University{{Cite news |last=Raj |first=Rohit |date=30 April 2022 |title=Russia-Ukraine War: 'Ghost of Kyiv' killed, this is how Russia was harassed |website=The Indian Nation |url=https://www.indiannation.in/russia-ukraine-war-ghost-of-kyiv-killed-this-is-how-russia-was-harassed/ |access-date=30 April 2022 |language=en-US}} and graduating in 2014.{{Cite web |last=Mazur |first=Ivan |date=24 March 2022 |title=Who is Stepan Tarabalka and is he really the Ghost of Kyiv |url=https://click-clicker.com/2022/03/24/who-is-stepan-tarabalka-and-is-he-really-the-ghost-of-kyiv/ |access-date=30 April 2022 |language=en-US}}
Career
File:MiG-29 UAF, Ivano-Frankowsk 2016.jpg
The initial conflict in 2014, involving Russian annexation of Crimea and conflict in the east of Ukraine with two secessionist states, was Tarabalka's first experience in combat. This saw him gain experience flying support missions over the Donbas region.
Tarabalka was shot down on 13 March 2022{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Larisa |date=29 April 2022 |title='Ghost of Kyiv' who shot down more than 40 Russian aircraft dies in battle |language=en |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/ghost-of-kyiv-who-shot-down-more-than-40-russian-aircraft-dies-in-battle-q3sq0hztx |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 April 2022 |issn=0140-0460}}{{Cite web |date=30 April 2022 |title=Ghost of Kyiv Major Stepan Tarabalka hailed a hero as pilot dies in battle |url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/04/30/major-stepan-tarabalka/ |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=HITC |language=en-GB}} in the sky over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine,{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://vue.gov.ua/Тарабалка,_Степан_Іванович |title=Тарабалка, Степан Іванович |encyclopedia=Great Ukrainian Encyclopedia |access-date=30 April 2022 |language=uk}} while he was piloting a MiG-29 during a dogfight against several Russian fighter jets.{{Cite news |author=((India Today Web Desk New Delhi)) |date=30 April 2022 |title='Ghost of Kyiv' war hero dies in battle after shooting down 40 Russian aircraft |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/heroes-of-ukraine/story/ghost-of-kyiv-stepan-tarabalka-dies-in-battle-shot-sown-40-russian-aircraft-1943719-2022-04-30 |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=India Today |department=Heroes Of Ukraine |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Newdick |first=Thomas |date=1 April 2022 |title=Ukrainian MiG-29 Pilot's Front-Line Account Of The Air War Against Russia |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/45019/fighting-russia-in-the-sky-mig-29-pilots-in-depth-account-of-the-air-war-over-ukraine |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=The Drive |language=en}} International media speculated whether the so-called "Ghost of Kyiv" and Tarabalka were in fact the same person, or whether the Ghost legend was simply made up{{Cite web |last=Novelly |first=Thomas |date=2 March 2022 |title=Ukraine's Fighter Ace 'Ghost of Kyiv' May Be a Myth, But It's Lethal as War Morale |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/03/02/ukraines-fighter-ace-ghost-of-kyiv-may-be-myth-its-lethal-war-morale.html |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=Military.com |language=en}} and then applied to Tarabalka after his death, when his success against the Russian Air Force was known. However, an interview was published in April 2022 with a pilot discussing the Ghost (who was a member of his unit) before his identity was released. In the interview, the pilot indicated details that match Tarabalka as the Ghost, including the fact he flew a MiG-29 and was 29 years old.
According to the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Tarabalka was not the "Ghost of Kyiv". The total amount of 40 aircraft shot down was done together by the pilots of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade.{{Cite news|url=https://t.me/kpszsu/1033|title= ПРОСИМО НЕ НАПОВНЮВАТИ ІНФОПРОСТІР ФЕЙКАМИ |trans-title= Please do not fill Infospace with Fakes | website=Telegram Channel of the Air Force Command of the UA Armed Forces| access-date=30 April 2022 |language=UK}} Other sources, including the New York Post and the BBC, indicated that Tarabalka himself had shot down the 40 aircraft.
Death
Tarabalka was killed in action on 13 March 2022, at the age of 29,{{Cite news |date=29 April 2022 |title=Identity of Legendary Ukrainian Pilot 'Ghost of Kyiv' Revealed by Ukrainian Media |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/identity-of-legendary-ukrainian-pilot-ghost-of-kyiv-revealed-by-ukrainian-media.html |access-date=30 April 2022 |newspaper=Kyiv Post}} with rumours at the time raising suspicion he was the mysterious Ghost figure. According to Ukrainian sources, he died while on a mission, outnumbered in a dogfight. Tarabalka was buried in a cemetery in Korolivka, near Kolomyia.{{Cite news |title=Remembering Ukrainian fighter pilot Stepan Tarabalka |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022/03/31/ukrainian-fighter-pilot |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=WBUR-FM |language=en}} The Ukrainian Government planned to auction his helmet and gloves to raise funds for the ongoing conflict. It posthumously awarded him Ukraine's top award for bravery, the Order of the Golden Star, with the title Hero of Ukraine.{{Cite news |title="Ghost Of Kyiv" Dies In Battle After Shooting Down 40 Russian Jets, Identity Revealed |url=https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ghost-of-kyiv-killed-after-shooting-40-russian-jets-identity-revealed-2933893 |access-date=30 April 2022 |website=NDTV}}
Personal life
Tarabalka was married and had an 8-year-old son at the time of his death.{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Lee |date=29 April 2022 |title='Ghost of Kyiv' killed in battle, identity revealed |url=https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/ghost-of-kyiv-major-stepan-tarabalka-killed-in-battle/ |access-date=30 April 2022 |newspaper=New York Post |department=News |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=29 April 2022 |title=Fighter pilot 'Ghost of Kyiv' reportedly killed last month and identified as father of one |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/ghost-of-kyiv-ukrainian-fighter-pilot-killed-battle-father-of-one-1603077 |access-date=30 April 2022 |newspaper=i |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
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Category:Aviators killed by being shot down
Category:Military personnel from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Category:Recipients of the Order of Gold Star (Ukraine)
Category:Ukrainian Air Force officers
Category:Ukrainian military personnel killed in the Kyiv offensive