Record of the Press · 2012–Present
Released to the public · 31 OCT 2026File TBL-0051
DEBUNKED

Ukraine War Myths: 'Ghost of Kyiv' and Snake Island 'Martyrs'

25 FEB 2022 · HuffPost, The Times (London), numerous outlets relaying Ukrainian officials
Screenshot of the page as published at npr.org
EXHIBIT A — Page capture from npr.org. Click to open the source.

■ The claim

Snake Island's 13 defenders were reported killed after defying a Russian warship, and a single Ukrainian ace, the 'Ghost of Kyiv', was said to be downing Russian jets.

■ What actually happened

On February 25, 2022, some outlets, including HuffPost, stated in headlines that the Snake Island garrison had been killed. Most outlets attributed this to Zelensky and other officials. On February 28, Ukraine's navy said the defenders were alive and had been captured by Russia. The Ghost of Kyiv spread through social media and official Ukrainian channels. In April 2022 the Times of London named a real pilot, killed in March, as the Ghost. Ukraine's Air Force then said the Ghost was a superhero legend standing for its pilots collectively, and the Times updated its story. Many careful outlets did label both claims as unverified.

■ The proof

Ukraine Navy statement (Feb. 28, 2022) that the Snake Island defenders were alive and in captivity. Ukrainian Air Force statement (Apr. 30, 2022) that the Ghost of Kyiv was a legend.

■ Original reporting

■ Corrections, findings & records

■ Wayback Machine copies

Stories sometimes get edited after publication. These links open the Internet Archive's earliest snapshot of each original.

Who it helped: DemocratsBoosted the Ukraine-aid cause, which Democrats backed more strongly.

■ Grade

DEBUNKED: Shown false by evidence or official findings, whether or not the outlet corrected it. How we grade →