Tarabalka was born on 9 January 1993 in Korolivka, Kolomyia Raion, Ukraine, where he grew up as part of a poor family.

[1] Tarabalka was shot down on 13 March 2022[4][5] in the sky over Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine,[6] while he was piloting a MiG-29 during a dogfight against several Russian fighter jets.

[7] However, an interview was published in April 2022 with a pilot discussing the Ghost (who was a member of his unit) before his identity was released.

[11] Tarabalka was killed in action on 13 March 2022, at the age of 29,[12] with rumours at the time raising suspicion he was the mysterious Ghost figure.

[1][13] The Ukrainian Government planned to auction his helmet and gloves to raise funds for the ongoing conflict.