Early in the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine, the perfect cyber-fueled urban myth appeared: The Ghost of Kyiv. By now, you’ve heard the story. A heroic and skilled Ukrainian Mig 29 pilot downed five or six Russian aircraft in a single day, including another Mig 29.
I was traveling at the time the story appeared and filed it for later examination. At first blush, I deemed it to be mythical disinformation of the sort that’s hardly new to the messy business of warfare. Subterfuge, lying and misdirection have been prominent in military tactics since Rome stomped through what is now Syria and into Western Europe. In the intervening days, nothing has emerged to make me think the Ghost of Kyiv is anything but an internet fantasy.
Of course, we all know this doesn’t matter. Whoever authored the myth probably realized that however much its veracity might be doubted, that would never eclipse the delicious hope that it actually is true. And that is the very definition of the inspiration the people of Ukraine desperately need. So true or not, the myth has value. It’s a talisman for an entire country fighting against overwhelming odds while the world mostly stands aside.
What caused me to doubt my own doubts, however, is what has transpired during the past week. The U.S. has done enough of its own stomping around for us all to understand how the airpower element works. The initial attacks come at night and take out air defense radars and missile batteries and crater runways to deny the enemy their use. An AWACS airplane or two watches over the show and coordinates and deconflicts attacks. Against that onslaught, no enemy aircraft are likely to be rising to the fight.
The aviation defense press has written widely—and positively—about Russia’s modernized and professionalized air force, so I just assumed it would operate and succeed like the U.S. military has. Evidently, not a fair assumption. Based on early results, the defense press is now asking where the Russian air force is hiding. With more than 200 frontline combat aircraft within short flying time of north central Ukraine, it has apparently flown few missions and suffered significant losses against anti-aircraft systems that weren’t, as we thought, inhibited or disabled by flinging dozens of radiation-seeking missiles at the radars.
This is a curious turn of events. The experts can only speculate, but some of the thinking suggests the Russians are fearful of losing front-line aircraft to ground-based shoulder-fired missiles, as they clearly were in Syria. The same applies to helicopters, so a three-man squad squirting Stingers at Su-25s has less worry of being blown to bits by a KA-52 attack helicopter, at least one of which the Ukrainians claim to have shot down.
Further, while the U.S. military struggles with funding training hours, Task and Purpose reports that Russian pilots may get fewer than 100 hours a year of training time. That’s not much. And it’s not just the training hours, but the operational doctrine that goes with it. Several sources have reported that while Russia is using precision guided munitions, some of these have proven ineffective and others are in short supply, forcing aircraft to deploy dumb bombs at lower altitudes that put them into the envelope of shoulder-fired weapons like the Stinger. So, as they did in Syria, the Russians simply avoid areas where Stingers may be.
Along with the fog of war, there’s also a fog of unconfirmed claims. The Week reported that Ukraine claims 29 aircraft shot down and an equal number of helicopters. By U.S. standards, that’s an absurdly large number of losses. In 20 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance, the U.S. lost 130 helicopters, about a third of them to hostile fire. But the Russians are flying in a far more hostile environment, so 29 in a week may be accurate. I’m sure the intelligence shops at NATO are watching the action carefully for it could very well be NATO forces might get dragged into a shooting war everyone would hope to avoid.
So given that the Russian air force hasn’t exactly distinguished itself as many thought it would, it’s OK it some people believe in the Ghost of Kyiv. There are worse tall tales to swallow.
Something seems to be slowing the invasion. It would take more than one sortie to have downed that many planes in one day. Really heartbreaking to see the pictures of the destruction caused by the Russians for no reason all. Hopefully the rest of Europe gets on the ball and does something instead of history repeating itself.
Maybe the US and Ukraine (and NATO) should have listened to Putin when he said he wanted confirmation from all that countries bordering his country that the border states would not be allowed NATO membership…Amazing how some countries will go to war to prevent a potential military buildup on their border. I seem to remember reading about a 13 day standoff by some country in Oct 1962 when a certain country placed missiles not on the border of another country but 90 miles away and that almost resulted in WW-III. Hmmmm…
You are exactly correct. It is stunning hoe many people do not see the parallels.
Maybe the US should not have insisted that Ukraine give up their nukes after the Soviet Union collapse. Looks like the Clinton administration’s promise to secure Ukraine sovereignty was an empty one.
Absolutely. Our word and that of any other country is less than worthless when push comes to shove. Any country that gives up its security for a future promise gets what they deserve. Im sure a lot of Afghan interpreters not to mention the people of Ukraine are regretting that exact issue right now.
Let’s see. Unprovoked attacks since WWII (Ignoring everything before WWII such as Poland, Finland, and Japan (OK. May be considered part of WWII), and indirect wars like their support of the Arab states, Africa, Korea, Vietnam, etc.)
1) East Germany (1953)
2) Hungary (1956)
3) Czechoslovakia (1968)
4) Afghanistan (1979-1989)
5) Georgia
6) “””Transnistria”””
7) Tajikistan
8) Chechenia (1 & 2)
9) Syria (since they sent significant active military forces – I included this as an attack)
10) Ukraine (2014- 2022)
US, Nato, Western countries:
1) Granada
Iraq-1 and Afghanistan were both after military aggression against the US.
2) Iraq 2
3) Did I forget any major one?
So your argument is false: the west in general, and especially NATO are not a threat to Russia, while the opposite is clearly true.
Only messed a few on the US, NATO, Western Countries… “Support” is not exactly not being involved. It is participating in it! As Germany is currently participating in the Ukraine and this an enemy to Russia. Russia could retaliate to Germany as Germany has broken their word yet again against the cease of weapons treaty after WWII. That may be the very reason that America is holding back. There has never been a peace agreement between Germany and the other 50+ countries that declared war on Germany during WWII. So officially Germany is still listed in the UN as a War Country. Check it out. So here the partial list of the conflicts with western involvement.
Korea
Vietnam
Falklands
Pig Bay
Bosnia
Lybia
Sudan
Eritrea
Congo
Syria
Several different places in Africa (mostly about Oil)
It is up to everyone to do their own due diligence. Love is the only way for the future.
Korea and Vietnam – invited by the host countries.
Falklands – war began by Argentina.
Pig bay – I don’t think it can be called a war but I agree – it was done without provocation.
Bosnia – again invited by one country that was being murdered by another, but a the situation was messy after the Yugoslavian debacle – may may be
Libya – invited by the people of Libya during an actual popular revolution.
I absolutely agree with your last sentence
You are joking right? You don’t think Russia would consider US and NATO military bases in Ukraine filled with thousands of troops and dozens and dozens of bomber and fighter aircraft a threat? It’s irrelevant what Russia’s military hx is when it comes to placing military bases and troops on the border of a sovereign country. If we wouldn’t tolerate it why should Russia?
How many times did the US and NATO invaded another country without a serious provocation?
How many times did Russia?
So the Soviets were bringing first strike nuclear missiles to Cuba and only backed down because a fleet of warships were threatening to destroy the shipment. Is that right?
IIRC, The US was putting defensive missiles in Poland, and after much of their objections, the US decided to stop.
Is this the “parallel” you are looking for?
Here’s a parallel. The Cubans went communist, and we engaged in some mayhem to support an overthrow, but did not invade. The Ukrainians want to be part of Europe, and they are being destroyed.
Who really thinks anyone anywhere has any interest in invading Russia? Before now I mean.
I was waiting for your editorial on The Ghost of Kyiv. I’m glad you got around to it. Myth or not, it does not matter. It is a morale booster the Ukrainian people need to reinforce their strength of will and to help maintain the population’s sanity. I hope that our leadership finds the courage and wisdom to deal with Putin and his terrorists.
You mean the same leadership that has the US Army training officers on gender identity while Russia wages war on Ukraine? That leadership?
Gregory: Yep, every swinging dick, and winking labia in government and industry.
No doubt we have the best equipped and best trained military in the world. The key component that is missing is leadership. Im not convinced at all that we could win an all out conflict. Hell, our leadership is so stupid they just put out the following advisement on the US Gov Ready.com website a few days ago in the event of a nuclear explosion and use of a bomb shelter; “Try to maintain a distance of at least six feet between yourself and people who are not part of your household. If possible, wear a mask if you’re sheltering with people who are not a part of your household”.
Best answer I’ve seen to this type of question.
The world suffers and struggles through a deadly pandemic for several years, upending economies and social norms, businesses gone, and just as we’re climbing back to adjust to a new normal, this horrible and unnecessary war happens. Not to detract from the importance of the blog’s message and I completely agree with its premise, but it seems a bit moot now as the Russian advance is increasing its attack and actually targeting civilians and soft targets. Notwithstanding the bravery of the Ukrainian people, I fear the worst is coming. Frustrating as hell!
With the potential use of cluster and vacuum bombs, let alone the specter of using nuclear weapons by Putin, Ukraine seems to be headed for destruction unless something drastic can change the course. Wish I knew what that could be.
Kruschev was dramatic compared to Putin. Putin is insane, strong, dangerous, and determined enough to remain as a threat for as long as he wants. Sanctions will hurt the Russian interests, but, in the end, should NATO military forces intervene, which is what is needed to stop Putin, Nuclear war WILL follow. There is no alternative: The Russian people need to force Putin’s undoing.
I think that if and when it comes to it the Russian generals may prefer to stop the madman before deciding on destroying the world. Nobody could win a nuclear war.
However, I do hope that the Russian people will wake up before that.
However the risk is here and it is real – a single madman puts the whole world on edge.
According to the latest news the nuclear Jeanie may have already been let out. There are reports of a nuclear plant under attack and possibly on fire. I hope the reports are not true!
Plant undamaged. They hit a training building only. Russian now controls that site. Biggest one with 6 reactors.
I read where some RUSSIAN oligarch has put a $1M bounty on Putin’s ‘head.’ And, I read where hackers got to electric vehicle charging stations on a Russian motorway and had derogatory messages about ‘ol Vlad on ’em. If true, that’s all great.
I was thinking that IF the Ukrainians had cruise missiles, they could start lobbing some at Moskva. And I’m hearing that the Russians are moving reserve troops by train out of Siberia. If we had a real leader here, I’d start amassing our military on that side of Russian making Putin decide where to keep his primary forces.
I think the Russians will be fighting Ukrainians for many moons to come. I just wish the Ukrainians had some of my beloved A-10’s at their disposal. That GAU-8A would eat that 40 mile tank column right quick.
Well I’m glad you’re not calling the shots. Amassing US military on the Russian border would without a doubt result in a nuclear war. Putin isn’t concerned with gender identity and appointing racially diverse bureaucrats. He will launch nukes before we have a chance to locate a bi-racial, disabled, dyslexic, transgendered, soldier to operate our anti-missile defense systems.
Same boring comments. Do you have any comments related to aviation or the topic at hand?
Well the topic I replied too is really discussing the invasion of Ukraine. My apology for triggering you.
O.K. So you hate the current US government and seem clearly to prefer the Russian style.
Personally I had one gay guy in my unit many years ago. I hope the Ukrainians have many more like him.
I hate to tell you Greg … WE are holding massive maneuvers RIGHT NOW in Alaska and other places. Likely why the Russky’s didn’t bring their front line stuff west?
SO how many years did YOU serve in our military?
Maneuvers and establishment of a permanent military base are entirely different. I served for 7 years USAF, 8th Air Force, 340th BW, 441st BS (Black Knights), 900+ hrs B52G.
My bad, 320th BW not 340th. Major Gray, Lt King, Capt Snodgrass, Capt, Gomez, if you guys read this, hope you are all well. Loved flying with you guys!
Would really love to see some “Ghost Squadrons” of A-10s or Spectre gunships working out on that 40 mile Russian convoy BEFORE they start slaughtering Ukrainian civilians. Of course they would NOT be piloted by American military (wink wink). We could even give them a really cool name like the “The Flying Tigers”. Remember them?
I read Avweb because it is normally more trustworthy than the continuous lies in all other media.
It is Weird how so many people act like Ukraine has been our best ally in the area for decades. No one cried when Syria was leveled. Why? Assad actual was more of an ally. Same was true in Iraq. I was there in the 80s fishing their pilots out of the Gulf patching them up and sending them home to fight against Iran… no one cried when that place was destroyed.
There is loads Ukraine and American Pravda (fake news) designed to make people feel one way or the other. This story of the Ace Pilot was fake designed to rally fighter pilots when needed. I doubt the pilots there in Russia or Ukraine were fooled, but Americans were. They even posted a very pretty girl pilot, saying she was killed. Then showed an old well known long time pilot saying he was killed.
I’ve even seen video from Syria of tanks fighting terrorists there, claiming it was Russians using tanks to level Ukraine indiscriminately. All fake news.
It now turns out, the AN225 story is also likely false. The company that owns the plane say it’s not destroyed. But did jump in for some sympathy cash saying it needs some work.
You may want to step back and ask yourself… why are we there? Why do you even know the country name so well? Why does Putin have a problem with the relatively new government? How did it come to power? Who funded this change of power and why? Didn’t we hear of possible mass corruption within this relatively new government recently? What happened when a sitting US president looked into possible corruption in Ukraine, corruption committed by the now current presidents son, with payments going to ‘the big guy’… Yea, none of this smells good.
We really had and have no business there.
The rest of the EU and now someone advised our President, we are not interested in protecting whatever he is hiding there at the risk of nuclear war. Because yea, Putin may just use a few in Ukraine to show he isn’t going to be cornered by NATO.
Putin did test the waters with NATO. Even, likely in jest, Putin asked to join NATO when it was suggested that Ukraine join the EU. The EU laughed and said, NO. But wouldn’t refuse to let Ukraine into NATO. Now, take this in… Hillary Clinton, only a few years ago, declared a reset of Russian relations… even sold Russia our uranium reservers. How soon we forget this.
Now Biden and the EU have threatened Russia with war. Yes, support of a Russian enemy, that Russia is in an active war with, is an act of war with Russia.
Putin wasn’t buffing when he readied his nukes and sent them to circle over the Arctic. Ours are there too. In case you haven’t looked at a real globe, over Canada is where US nuclear bombers are flying. That is why Canadian airspace was closed… NOTE- US airspace wasn’t closed to Russian planes at the time.
When I see America now… I see the documentary ‘Idiocracy’… yes, it was supposed to be a comedy… now it seems to be a very good documentary of America.
Stop and think before you decide to take a side in this mess, we have zero business getting involved with. Don’t fall for the American, Russian, or Ukraine Pravda.
Up date… there is now reported to be a ‘twin’ AN225 Ukraine wants to save… yea, you have been lied to about the one of a kind plane’s destruction to strike sympathy. They are hoping for someone to stop what will not be stopped and to cash in if Russia is by some wild chance stopped.
Don’t fall for it. You are supposed to be a pilot, one of the smart people in the world.
Mr. G:
1) Assad was clearly more of a Russian allay, and his response to the peaceful demonstrations in his country was much more like Mr. Putin’s. However the world did not respond as strongly until ISIS arrived. Personally I think that was a mistake, began by Obama pulling a pink strand in the sand.
2) the Saddam dictatorship in Iraq fought with Islamist Iran – I am happy the west stayed out of that, but Saddam was not an allay of anyone but himself. Sad for the super-high number of needless deaths.
3) “We” (meaning the West) are not there (Meaning Ukraine) due to a smart decision by NATO including the president of the US you seem to be so happy to despise. But ‘we’ are in the vicinity to protect our (US) and our allies freedom, because Putin will not stop in the Ukrainian border unless there is sufficient power to stop him.
4) This seem to me as your main points:
“Why does Putin have a problem with the relatively new government? How did it come to power? Who funded this change of power and why? Didn’t we hear of possible mass corruption within this relatively new government recently? What happened when a sitting US president looked into possible corruption in Ukraine, corruption committed by the now current presidents son, with payments going to ‘the big guy’… Yea, none of this smells good.”
So. a) Why does Putin have a problem with the relatively new government? – because his corrupt puppet was thrown out by the PEOPLE of Ukraine and as to who financed it – likely the people that placed their life in danger than, and that are now fighting valiantly to keep the freedom they gained.
b) Yes the government in Ukraine was form many years corrupt, likely reaching a crescendo during the Yanukovich regimen. Since then, and especially under the Zelenskyy control practically all of Europe agreed that they made significant advances to get rid of that corruption. Hard process.
Now to ytour REAL point: “What happened when a sitting US president looked into possible corruption in Ukraine, corruption committed by the now current presidents son…” We must remember that the US president that you speak of is first a former president, that second, rose to power with undeniable and very active support of Mr. Putin (I will not relate at this time to the question of his active knowledge and support for that as this was not 100.00% proven), third that he raised those allegations while abusing his position and used the US citizens money to blackmail another country purely for his own political gain, and finally, fourth, that those allegations had about ten orders of magnitude less convincing evidence than the evidence that your beloved ex-president was under Putin’s thumb. (the story that he gave his computer with all the alleged “evidence” is to some bozo is less that much less believable when standing before the NUMEROUS proven contacts the ex-president campaign had with Russia, with the numerous times he preferred Putin’s word to US officials, and in his consistent attempts to at least alienate the US allies and destroy NATO, never mind the latest reports about stealing secret documents that dwarfs anything the Hillary Clinton did with her private emails. As to your claims of selling US Uranium, can you point to a shred of evidence that a single gram of US Uranium arrived in Russia?
So after following your suggestion to question hard, and using the known facts and fact patterns, I came to the conclusion while the US has many problems and faults, I prefer to to side with the US (yes, current and most previous administrations), NATO, Europe, the free world, and Ukraine. Thank you.
Well put Richard. A look at the big picture from 100 000 feet always reveals more clarity. It directly relates to the above discussions, as the true base of all current events including the last two years on this earth are to be questioned.
A look at history gives a good background on the reality what is going on with the Ukraine. When East and West Germany were united in 1990, Russia agreed to move out of East Germany on the promise that NATO would not move eastwards. The newest joke is: “Russia has moved it’s borders rather close to all the new NATO bases in Europe”
So, let us just imagine a similar scenario in which the Russian Federation would be favored by e.G. Mexico or Canada and started to do some joint military exercises on their own territory, have ships assembled along the coast and Mexico / Canada would ask to actually join the Federation or its military counter organization to the NATO. What do you think the NATO / USA would do? Just remember what happened in Cuba and then there is the Pig Bay…..
Thinking about the MSM and what they report is on another page. Many of the reports and Videos shown are from other conflicts due to lack of having real footage.
Also the Fact that the Minsk Treaty that the Ukraine had signed 8 years ago to settle the territorial / conflicts has gained no traction, because the Ukrainian gvmt. did absolutely nothing towards it. Did this get any attention by MSM? A civil war is happening ever since with no attention from the MSM either, rather to the contrary. The Ukrainian Nazi party though is part of the Ukrainian gvmt. and is in part to blame for the civil war going on. In the East Ukraine most people are Russians and they have been begging for help with no avail. So all the buildup can be seen as a preparation to what is currently going on…. Just something to think about.
Finally on the fear mongering narrative, since C has lost it’s steam, they needed a new cause to keep up the fear mongering with this war and distract from the fact that the UN / WHO are implementing new laws into all the countries at this time of distraction from C, that will give them authority over decisions concerning any future Virus to “emerge” (Bill Gates the Virus Expert has already announced it) and call the shots on the sanctions in the name of SAFETY. This means, that in case of another pandemic, your gvmt. will no longer call the shots, as they have failed in this last pandemic. Even though the “Pandemic” is over, the German gvmt silently put up a new law for compulsory vaccination, even though it is a violation of the Nuremberg Manifesto on the “Bill Of Rights To The Sovereignty Of My Body”. These are crimes on Humanity that are even more heinous, as the only ones profiting from this are the big PH and associated Industries and a global attack on the health of every human being. If we the people do not recognize this and take action in every single country, our future generations will dig us out of our graves to kill us over again. We owe it to the future generations to stop this global madness and focus on ourselves.
As written in the Bible, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3) God bless this world and let the people awaken out of the fear and see the truth. Imagine it was war and no one shows up (Except the “Leaders” who created it)
Who do you listen to??? Who do you trust??? Wake up World!!!
There is no “similar scenario” because the actors are not equivalent. I do not accept moral relativism.
People are rightfully questioning what happens if Putin gets away with annexing Ukraine. Will he take the rest of Georgia? Will Xi see this and take Taiwan (or try)? But is anyone really worried that the US will start shelling Havana? No, because there is no equivalence.
Of course, the west has made some bad moves. Some were incompetent, others in bad faith. Does even Putin believe they justify his invasion? No. If he did, that would be all the justification he would have needed. We could have been spared the rest of the rants and irredentism and denazification.
Note that NATO has not intervened. I tire of “aboutisms”.
Richard G, ma hadha allaena ?
Bubba !! The Mriya is GONE:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=217326460571068
Funny… just saw a report from Ukrain they want to save the ‘twin’ AN225… 😂🤣😂🤣
Really, the one of a kind plane now has a twin.
Don’t fall for any of the BS from Russia, Ukraine, or the US.
That’s Funny to go for anything that comes on FB, being a censoring platform to begin with. The future will tell. 😉😊🍀
And THEN you owe me a case of beer !!!!!!
The link WAS FB but the video came from a reporter ON the ground looking at the remains. There WAS another airplane not completed? Depending upon damage, perhaps one could be resurrected from two but — given the extent of the damage to their Country — I doubt if anyone will give a SxyT?
I’ll take a case of Leinenkugel or Spotted Cow, Gerhard !!
Larry, good video on the Mriya. 😔
The Bottom Line:
“Does the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ have the same kind of mystique that the Red Baron had in World War I when allied pilots were fearful of running into him before they even take off?” Singer asked. “I don’t think we can answer that part. But have the Ukrainian air defenses fought back better than the Russians assumed? That’s a definite yes.” Military.com
Patton was correct!
Ukrainian Kamikaze Low-Tech Drones.
Ukrainian Firm Unveils Loitering Kamikaze Drone
INDER SINGH BISHT JANUARY 21, 202
A few months after the unveiling, Ukrainian private defense firm Ramzay announced its development of an unmanned combat helicopter concept, the RZ-500.
The developer intends to build low-observable features into the gas-powered drone along with the capacity to carry missiles. The vehicle will reportedly fly up to 120 minutes with a service ceiling of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) and a range of 300 km (186 miles).
Apart from developing combat drones, Ukrainian defense firms are also developing unmanned platforms. In December, Infozakhist Research and Production Center conducted the maiden test flight of its Gekata radio reconnaissance unmanned system comprising eight Ukrspecsystems PD-2 drones — four active and four spares — and a ground control station.
The low-cost unmanned Airborne Warning And Control System detects radio signals from ground and air sources in real-time, with the capacity to track up to 200 targets simultaneously and process up to 2.5 million impulses per second. It can reconnoiter a ground target from a distance of up to 450 kilometers (278 miles).
Read more…
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/01/21/ukraine-developing-loitering-drone/
I doubt Putin is seriously worried about NATO invading Russia. Napoleon and Hitler have conclusively demonstrated the insanity of such a suicidal action. He is certainly worried about another free and prosperous former Soviet republic on his border, visible to his citizens, that he no longer controls. There has already been major unrest in Belarus, another one he still controls.