Stepan Tarabalka

Stepan Ivanovych Tarabalka (; 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, studying at the Ivan Kozhedub National Air Force University and graduating in 2014.

Career

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. in the sky over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine, while he was piloting a MiG-29 during a dogfight against several Russian fighter jets. International media speculated whether the legendary pilot, who was dubbed the "Ghost of Kyiv", and Tarabalka were in fact the same person, or whether the Ghost legend was simply made up and then applied to Tarabalka after his death, when his success against the Russian Air Force was known. Other sources, including the New York Post and The Times of London, indicated that Tarabalka himself had shot down the 40 aircraft. with rumours at the time raising suspicion he was the mysterious Ghost figure. The Ukrainian Government planned to auction his helmet and gloves to raise funds for the ongoing conflict.

Personal life Tarabalka was married and had an 8-year-old son at the time of his death. His mother, Nataliia Tarabalka, is a founder of the "Warmth of the Winged Soul" health center in the village of Tseniava.