Banksy, an elusive British street artist, has painted a mural on a bombed-out building on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, in what Ukrainians describe as an indomitable symbol of their country.
The world-famous graffiti artist posted three photos of the artwork on Instagram on Friday night: a gymnast performing standing in the rubble of a demolished building in the town of Borodinka, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
It was written in the legend «Borodyanka, Ukraine».
Along with cities like Bucha and Irbin, Borodinka was hit hard by Russian bombing and became a symbol of the devastation it caused. moscow attack Since February.
Russian forces briefly occupied the city before withdrawing in April.
“It is a symbol that we cannot break,” Oleksiy Savochka, 32, told AFP on Saturday, referring to the graffiti. “And our country is unbreakable.”
A series of Banksy-esque murals have appeared in and around Kyiv, leading Ukrainians to believe the unknown street artist may be at work in the war-torn country.
Other graffiti in Borodinka – whose origin has not been confirmed by the artist – show a small boy throwing a man in a judo uniform to the ground.
Genia Savelov/AFP via Getty Images
The scene may be a possible reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is a fan of martial arts.
“It is a little boy against an old man and he has been defeated, he has already been defeated,” Bogdan Machai, a 30-year-old Ukrainian television journalist, told AFP near the artwork.
“It’s amazing that Banksy is here in Borodinka,” he added.
On the side of a destroyed building in Irvine, a third mural – also unconfirmed by Banksy – shows a gymnast performing a barbell routine despite apparently being injured and wearing a neck brace.
Genia Savelov/AFP via Getty Images
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday Jerson “Us” after Russia withdrew its forces from the strategic southern city.
Kherson was the first major urban center to fall after Putin ordered Russian forces into Ukraine on February 24.
