Ukraine’s fighter pilots are significantly outmanned by Russians and have become legendary; thanks in part to the legend of the “Ghost of Kyiv,” a supposed flying ace.

This warrior is claimed to have shot down as many as 40 enemy planes; a remarkable performance in a region where Russia has complete control of the skies.

However, the Ukraine Air Force Command has issued a statement on Facebook claiming that the “Ghost of Kyiv is a superhero mythology invented by Ukrainians!”

“We urge the Ukrainian community not to overlook basic information hygiene standards,” the statement stated; encouraging people to “verify the sources of information before distributing it.”

Major Stepan Tarabalka, 29, was previously identified as the ace. He was killed in combat on March 13th, according to the authorities, and was posthumously awarded the Hero of Ukraine medal.

“Tarabalka is not the ‘Ghost of Kiev,’ and he did not hit 40 planes,” the air force says now.

Rather than a single man’s combat record, the “Ghost of Kyiv” is described as “a collective picture of pilots of the Air Force’s 40th tactical aviation brigade, who defend the sky over the capital.”

Ukrainians were stumped for a name for the “Ghost of Kyiv” for weeks; however that didn’t stop the story from becoming popular on social media.

A Ukrainian model aeroplane maker exploited it as a marketing trademark; and Ukrainian Iryna Kostyrenko wore a military emblem inspired by the narrative.