Thieves try to steal Banksy mural from battle-scarred Ukraine wall

Mural cut out from side of a scorched building in Hostomel, near Kyiv, as police protect works seen as 'a symbol of our victory'

The work of street artist Banksy in Kyiv was stolen by thieves
The work of street artist Banksy in Kyiv was stolen by thieves Credit: Reuters

A work of art by the elusive street artist Banksy has been ripped from a wall in Ukraine.

Thieves cut out the mural of a woman in a gas mask and holding a fire extinguisher from its position on the side of a scorched building in Hostomel, near Kyiv, on Friday. 

But they were spotted at the scene before being arrested by police and the military, who reclaimed the artwork. 

"I would like to emphasise that Banksy's works in the Kyiv region are under police protection," said Oleksii Kuleba, the governor of Kyiv Oblast.

"These images are a symbol of our struggle against the enemy ... stories about the support and solidarity of the entire civilised world.

“We’ll do everything to preserve these works of street art as a symbol of our victory.”

The graffiti in Banksy's signature style
The graffiti in Banksy's signature style Credit: Reuters/Gleb Garanich
Police published images of the yellow wall, with a large patch cut all the way back to the brickwork
Police published images of the yellow wall, with a large patch cut all the way back to the brickwork Credit: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko

Kyiv police chief Andriy Nebitov said there were eight culprits between the age of 27 and 60, who were residents of Kyiv and Cherkasy.

Police published images of the yellow wall, with a large patch cut all the way back to the brickwork.

The image has not been damaged by the incident. 

Banksy confirmed he was in Ukraine last month after a series of anonymous artworks appeared in the Kyiv region. 

One of the murals appeared to depict a small child in a judo uniform throwing Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, to the ground.

Another shows a girl gymnast performing a handstand on a small pile of concrete rubble. 

The work was warmly received by Ukrainians, who hailed it as a “symbol of their country’s invincibility”. 

Banksy is one of the world's best-known street artists and often tackles issues around politics, human rights and justice in his work.

The artist has previously travelled to conflict zones, leaving his art in Palestine on a number of occasions. 

Banksy’s work has been sold for millions of pounds on the art market. 

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