--- title: "Zelenskyy Posthumously Awards Hero of Ukraine Title to ‘Ghosts of Kyiv’ Commander Marat Mambetov" description: "President Zelenskyy posthumously awarded the Hero of Ukraine title to MiG-29 pilot and 'Ghosts of Kyiv' flight commander Major Marat Mambetov, who died during a combat mission." date: 2026-10-06T15:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-posthumously-awards-hero-ukraine-ghosts-kyiv-commander tags: [zelenskyy, mig-29, ghosts-of-kyiv, ukraine-war, hero-of-ukraine] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Zelenskyy Posthumously Awards Hero of Ukraine Title to ‘Ghosts of Kyiv’ Commander Marat Mambetov ![Portrait of Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot Marat Mambetov, awarded the Hero of Ukraine title](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/06/zelenskiy-posmertno-prisvoyiv-geroya-ukrayini-komandiru-prizrakiv-kieva/zelenskiy-posmertno-prisvoyiv-geroya-ukrayini-komandiru-prizrakiv-kieva-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Major Marat Mambetov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star. - The MiG-29 pilot and 'Ghosts of Kyiv' flight commander died on October 1 while executing a combat mission. - The officer's aircraft was struck by an enemy missile; he ejected but did not survive. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree conferring the highest state award—the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star—to Major Marat Mambetov. The MiG-29 pilot and flight commander of the renowned 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, known as the 'Ghosts of Kyiv,' was posthumously awarded this honor for exceptional courage, heroism, and selfless service to the Ukrainian people in defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. ### Circumstances of the Pilot's Death Major Marat Mambetov tragically died on October 1 while performing a complex combat mission in one of the most tense sectors of the front. During missile and bomb strikes against Russian military positions, his MiG-29 fighter jet was hit by an enemy missile. Despite the critical situation, the officer managed to eject, but the injuries sustained as a result of the incident proved incompatible with life, and the pilot did not survive. ### Contribution to Ukraine's Defense and the Status of the 'Ghosts of Kyiv' The 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, in which Major Mambetov served, has been a symbol of resilience in the Ukrainian skies since the very first days of the full-scale invasion. The unit, popularly nicknamed the 'Ghosts of Kyiv,' carries out vital missions to cover airspace and destroy enemy air and ground targets. The death of Marat Mambetov is a heavy loss for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and for Ukrainian society as a whole, which continues to honor the memory of fallen defenders. ### Contradictory Data Discussions periodically arise in the information space regarding the chronology and details of aviation accidents involving MiG-29 fighters. Specifically, earlier on August 10, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported an incident involving the crash of a MiG-29 in Odesa region during a combat mission, where the pilot successfully ejected and survived. Some users and public channels mistakenly confuse these incidents or attempt to link them into a single chronological chain, but official agencies clearly distinguish between the August incident with the surviving pilot and the tragic death of Major Mambetov on October 1, for which he was posthumously awarded the highest state honor. ### Leadership Reaction and Expert Assessments Military experts emphasize that the loss of pilots with this level of training deals a serious blow to the human resource potential of military aviation, as training a top-class fighter pilot requires years of flight hours and unique experience. The president's decision to confer the title of Hero of Ukraine underscores the importance of the continuous performance of combat missions by servicemen amid the enemy's technological air superiority in certain areas of the front. The memory of Marat Mambetov will forever remain in the history of Ukrainian military aviation as an example of devotion to the oath and military duty. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Зеленский посмертно присвоил Героя Украины командиру "Призраков Киева"](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zelenskiy-posmertno-prisvoyiv-geroya-ukrayini-1791299056.html) - Опубликован официальный указ президента Украины о присвоении звания Героя Украины Марату Мамбетову. - [В бою погиб пилот истребителя МиГ-29, командир бригады "Призрак Киева"](https://ukranews.com/news/1178428-v-boyu-pogib-pilot-istrebitelya-mig-29-komandir-brigady-prizrak-kieva) - Подтверждены детали гибели майора Мамбетова в результате поражения самолета вражеской ракетой. - [Российская ракета сбила МиГ-29, погиб украинский пилот](https://nikvesti.com/ru/news/defence/324508-rossiyskaya-raketa-sbila-mig-29-pogib-ukrainskiy-pilot) - Детали о катапультировании и обстоятельствах выполнения боевой задачи. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine? **A:** The title of Hero of Ukraine was posthumously awarded to Major Marat Mambetov, a MiG-29 pilot and flight commander of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade. ### Q: Under what circumstances did Marat Mambetov die? **A:** He died on October 1 during a combat mission on the frontline when his fighter jet was hit by an enemy missile.