UKRAINE, Oct. 2 — On Oct. 1, Russian forces killed Marat Mambetov, a commander of a flight in the 40th tactical aviation brigade, which became known as the Ghost of Kyiv, the Ukrainian Air Forces reported.

Mambetov was on a combat mission, carrying out missile and bomb attacks on Russian positions on the frontline. During the mission, the Russians shot down his MiG-29 aircraft with a missile. The pilot ejected, but did not survive, the Air Force said.

Marat Mambetov was 25 years old. He was born in the Zaporizhzhia region and studied at the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National Air Force University, Ivan, his friend and classmate, told local media Suspilne Kharkiv.

Sofia, Marat’s friend, also told Suspilne Kharkiv that Mambetov had planned to continue his studies and wanted to fly western aircraft.

“He really wanted to learn English so he could operate a new type of aircraft, but, unfortunately, he never got the chance to do so,” Sofia said.

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