40th Tactical Aviation Brigade

The 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade "Ghost of Kyiv" (Military Unit Number А1789) is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force, composed primarily of Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft, that is based at Vasylkiv.^[1]

40th Tactical Aviation Brigade “Ghost of Kyiv”
Active	1992 – present
Country	Ukraine
Branch	Ukrainian Air Force
Type	Brigade
Role	Fighter
Part of	Air Command "Central"
Garrison/HQ	Vasylkiv Air Base, Ukraine
Nickname(s)	Ghost of Kyiv
Engagements	War in Donbas Battle of Debaltseve Russian invasion of Ukraine Battle of Kyiv (2022) Snake Island campaign
Decorations	For Courage and Bravery
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Volodymyr Kravchenko
Insignia
Air Force Sleeve patch Left Arm
Roundel
Fin flash
Aviation branch insignia collar
Former Insignia
Aircraft flown
Fighter	MiG-29, MiG-29UB, MiG-29M1
Trainer	L39M1

History

In January 1992 the regiment took the oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people.

Upon the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade played an important role in the Kyiv offensive. Its fighter aircraft battled the Russian Air Force over Kyiv and attempted to disrupt Russian advances on the ground. The unit took part in the Battle of Antonov Airport and the Battle of Kyiv; one of its pilots, Lt. Col. Vyacheslav Yerko (posthumously Hero of Ukraine, Gold Star Order), reportedly shot down four Russian aircraft on the invasion's first day before being killed.^[2] The brigade was given the honorary title "Ghost of Kyiv" in 2024 by a decree issued by President Zelenskyy.^[3]

Aircraft

• MiG-29, MiG-29UB, MiG-29M1
• L39M1

List of aircraft

At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, 18-21 MiG-29s units were reported in operational status among Ukrainian Brigades.^[4] Along the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, the 204th and 114th Brigades of the Ukrainian Air Force operates MiG-29. In was reported during the Russian invasion of Ukraine that brigades shared pilots and airframes.

Here is a list of all reported operational aircraft since the 2022 conflict and their fates during the conflict.

Tail Number	Type	Status	Note
Blue 03	MiG-29MU1	Shot down 24 February 2022, after taking off Vasylkiv Air Base, Kyiv.	Pilot Vyacheslav Radionov was killed.[5]
Blue 10	MiG-29 (9.13)	Shot down amid Geran-2 drone attack on 12 October 2022 on Turbiv, Vinnytsia Oblast.	Pilot Vadym Voroshylov callsign "Karaya" ejected and survived.
Blue 12	MiG-29MU2	Operational as of 2022[6]
Blue 31	MiG-29 (9.13)	Operational as of 2023
Blue 35	MiG-29	Crashed on 25 February 2022 by unknown cirsunstances.	Pilot ejected and survived.[7]
Blue 47	MiG-29	Operational as of 2023
White 05	MiG-29MU1	Shot down on 24 February 2022, near Volodymyrivka	Pilot Vyacheslav Yerko was killed.[8]
White 08	MiG-29MU1	Operational as of 2023
White 09	MiG-29MU1	Operational as of 2022[4]
White 10	MiG-29 (9.13)	Shot down by Russian forces 9 March 2022, near Novopil, Zhytomyr.[9]	Pilot Mayor Yevgeny Lysenko died.
White 12	MiG-29MU2	Shot down on 2 June 2023 by a Russian S-300 on vicinity of Mirne, Donetsk Oblast.	Pilot Major Vladyslav Savieliev callsign "Nomad" was killed.[10]
White 15	MiG-29MU1	Shot down by Russian forces on 14 March 2022.	Wreckage recorded by French media in Nova Basan, Chernihiv Oblast.[11]
White 16	MiG-29MU1	Damaged on 24 February 2022, by a Russian missiles attack on Vasylkiv Air Base in Kyiv.[12]
White 19	MiG-29	Operational since in 2021[13]
White 21	MiG-29	In storage in 2022[4]
White 22	MiG-29MU1	Damaged during a emergency landing on 30 April 2024.	Pilot survived.[14]
White 33	MiG-29	Operational as of 2022
White 34	MiG-29	Operational as of 2023
White 36	MiG-29	Operational as of 2023
White 38	MiG-29	Operational as of 2023
White 40	MiG-29UM1	Shot down by Russian airdefenses, pilot Valentin "Beekeeper" Korenchuk was killed.[15]	Ex-Polish Air Force[16]
White 46	MiG-29	Operational as of 2023
White 47	MiG-29	Operational as of 2023
White 70	MiG-29	In storage in 2022[4]
White 72	MiG-29 (9.13)	Destroyed during combat mission 12 August 2024		Pilot Capitan Oleksandr Mygulya was killed.[17]
White 90	MiG-29UB	Operational as of 2022[4]
White 371	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 3xx	MiG-29A/G	Operational as of 2023
White 405	MiG-29GT	Lost on January 5 2024. Pilot Vladyslav Zalistovskyi died.[18]
White 4xx	MiG-29GT	Operational as of 2023
White 4xx	MiG-29GT	Operational as of 2023
White 4xx	MiG-29GT	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023	Ex-Slovak Air Force[19]
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29A	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29UB	Operational as of 2023
Unknown	MiG-29UB	Operational as of 2023

Pilots who lost their lives

• Andrii Pilshchykov (Juice)
• Valentyn Korenchuk
• Vladyslav Savieliev
• Mykhailo Matiushenko
• Stepan Tarabalka
• Oleksii Mes

See also

• Ghost of Kyiv