Ukrainians Call for 'Ghost of Kyiv' Pilot To Get Country's Highest Honor

A petition is calling for Ukraine's president to grant the country's highest honor to a combat pilot who helped inspire the mythical "Ghost of Kyiv" credited with downing Russian planes at the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.

Colonel Valentyn Korenchuk, from Ukraine's 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, was among pilots defending Kyiv at the start of the war Moscow launched on February 24, 2022, and engaged in numerous aerial battles.

The New Voice of Ukraine reported that one of his most notable accomplishments was downing a Russian attack aircraft near the capital in an act of bravery that earned him the State Order for Courage.

News of the downing of several Russian aircraft over Kyiv in the first days of the invasion prompted the mythology that they had been destroyed by a lone MiG-29 pilot.

This symbolism of resistance against Moscow's aggression inspired a mural unveiled in the capital in August 2022 of the so-called "Ghost of Kyiv." In February 2024, Ground Forces Spokesperson Illia Yevlash, admitted that the flying ace was fictional and was an amalgam of pilots used to create a single image of an avenger taking Putin's forces.

Korenchuk was among them and took part in 80 combat sorties over central Ukraine until he was killed on a mission on April 27, 2024.

A petition has been submitted to the Ukrainian presidential website calling for Korenchuk to be honored as a Hero of Ukraine for his role in taking down Russian aircraft, cruise missiles and drones. A memorial service at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv on June 18 celebrated his bravery.

"The pilot owns a historic achievement for Ukrainian aviation," said the petition, which as of Saturday had received 13,000 of the 25,000 signatures it has called for since it was started on August 2. Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian presidential office for comment.

Korenchuk, who was known by the call sign "Beekeeper," was one of the first Ukrainian pilots to launch an international campaign for Kyiv's allies to provide F-16 aircraft, the first batch of which arrived in Ukraine earlier this month.

Ukrainian Lt. Col. Oleksiy Mes was killed while flying one of the fourth-generation American-made aircraft on August 26 and an investigation continues into the circumstances of his death.

Amid some reports that he may have been downed in a "friendly fire" incident, the head of Ukraine's air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, was fired by Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky and replaced by Lt. Gen. Anatoly Kryvonozhko.

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