Banksy unveils a mural of a gymnast in a bombed-out Ukrainian building

Banksy, the elusive British street artist, has painted a mural on a bombed-out building on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, in what Ukrainians have hailed as a symbol of their country’s invincibility.

On Friday night, the world-renowned graffiti artist posted on Instagram three images of the work: a gymnast performing a handstand amid the ruins of a demolished building in the town of Borodyanka, northwest of the Ukrainian capital kyiv.

The caption read “Borodyanka, Ukraine”.

Along with cities such as Bucha and Irpin, Borodyanka was badly affected by Russian shelling and became a symbol of the devastation caused by the Moscow offensive since February.

The city was briefly occupied by Russian forces before they withdrew in April.

“It is a symbol that we are unbreakable,” Oleksiy Savochka, 32, told AFP on Saturday, referring to the graffiti. “And our country is unbreakable.”

Several Banksy-esque murals have appeared in and around kyiv, leading Ukrainians to think the anonymous street artist may be at work in the war-torn country.

Another graffiti on Borodyanka – its origin has not been confirmed by the artist – shows a small boy knocking a man in a judo uniform to the ground. The scene could be a possible reference to Russian leader Vladimir Putinwho is a martial arts enthusiast.