Move Over "Ghost Of Kyiv", Sniper "Charcoal" Is Ukraine's New War Hero

First, it was the “Ghost of Kyiv” who became the hero of Ukrainian defence against the Russians. And now, that spot has been taken by a sniper, known only by her call sign “Charcoal”.

The images of the female sniper have been released by the Ukrainian army on Facebook, which show her face partially covered to mask the identity of “Charcoal”.

She is being compared to the legendary Second World War sharpshooter, nicknamed “Lady Death”.

According to the information provided by the Ukrainian armed forces, “Charcoal” joined the Marines in 2017, hoping to impress her younger brother, as reported by New York Post.

She fought in the country's east against Russia-backed separatists and served until the end of her contract in January this year. The sniper joined back when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, according to The Independent.

The publication also shared what she said of the Russians: “These are not people. The Nazis were not as vile as these orcs. We must take them all out!”

The Ukrainian army has not shared any information regarding her combat successes.

“Lady Death”, who she is being compared to, was a Ukrainian sniper in the Soviet Red Army. Her real name was Lyudmila Pavlichenko and she reportedly killed more than 300 German soldiers during the Second World War, the Post reported.

Pavlichenko defended Odesa and Sevastopol against the Nazis, before she was wounded by shrapnel. She also visited the United States to drum up support for the war effort.

Pavlichenko was given the USSR's highest military honour, the Hero of the Soviet Union award, according to The Independent.

Before “Charcoal”, the Ukrainians sought the raise the morale of the soldiers by making the “Ghost of Kyiv” famous. The fighter pilot was credited with shooting down 10 Russian jets on Day 1 of the invasion. However, the exploits were never really verified.