A bunch of individuals tried to take a mural by graffiti artist Banksy in Ukraine on Friday by slicing it off a battle-scarred wall the place it was painted, the governor of Kyiv area stated.

The group managed to slice off a bit of board and plaster bearing the picture of a lady in a fuel masks and dressing robe holding a fireplace extinguisher on the aspect of a scorched constructing.

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However they had been noticed on the scene within the metropolis of Hostomel close to Kyiv and the mural was retrieved, Oleksiy Kuleba stated in an announcement.

The picture was nonetheless intact and police had been defending it, he added.

“These photos are, in any case, symbols of our battle in opposition to the enemy … We’ll do the whole lot to protect these works of avenue artwork as a logo of our victory,” he stated.

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Banksy, whose work can promote for thousands and thousands of dollars on the artwork market, confirmed he had painted the mural and 6 others final month in locations that had been badly affected by heavy combating after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

One of many different murals exhibits a lady gymnast performing a handstand on a small pile of concrete rubble. One other exhibits an previous man having a shower.

Police printed photos of the yellow wall in Hostomel, with a big patch minimize all the best way again to the brickwork. Various folks had been arrested on the scene, they stated.

Russia’s battle in Ukraine is now in its tenth month. Moscow’s forces had been pushed again from round Kyiv within the first section of the battle, however combating rages on within the east and south.