Who is the Ghost of Kyiv?

SOCIAL media has been buzzing with rumours of an ace pilot known as the Ghost of Kyiv.

But is this mysterious heroic figure real?

Who is the Ghost of Kyiv?

The Ghost of Kyiv has been setting social media alight as the war between Ukraine and Russia sees the number of casualties growing.

The "ghost" has been reported as a Ukraine fighter pilot who shot down Russian planes on the first day of the war, which started on February 24, 2022.

Rumours circulated after videos emerged on social media of a jet soaring through the sky above Ukraine.

The mystery pilot, who is said to fly a MiG-29, has become a symbol of hope for many online.

However the original video - which has had more than five million views - has been debunked.

The clip actually comes from Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) from 2008.

How many Russian planes has the Ghost of Kyiv shot down?

The rumours surrounding the Ghost of Kyiv suggest that the pilot shot down six Russian planes on the first day of the war.

According to YouTube channel the "ghost" is real and shot down "two Russian SU-35s, one Russian SU-27, one Russian MiG-29 and two Russian SU-25s all in the space of 30 hours which is practically unheard of".

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko added to the rumours by tweeting an image of a MiG-29 fighter pilot, appearing to be the Ghost of Kyiv.

The Ministry of Defence for Ukraine also tweeted a MiG-29 and said retired pilots were returning to the force.

They said: “Who knows, maybe one of them is the air avenger on the MiG-29, which is so often seen by Kyivites!”

However, some aviation experts have said that it is doubtful that a pilot could shoot down six planes in one day.