The 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade Ghost of Kyiv ( ÃÂ1789) is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force, composed primarily of Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft, that is based at Vasylkiv.
In January 1992 the 92nd Fighter Aviation Regiment took the oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people, later becoming the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade.
Upon the start of the Full scale invasion in 2022, the 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. The brigade was given the honorary title "Ghost of Kyiv" in 2024 by a decree issued by President Zelenskyy.
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. 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.