Thieves steal Banksy mural from building in war torn Ukraine: Eight arrested and artwork salvaged

Ukrainian authorities have arrested a group of eight people who “mercilessly slashed” a Banksy mural symbolizing hope and strength against the Russian invasion.

Andrey Nebitov, head of the Kyiv Police Department, said today that the artwork was salvaged after it was removed from the wall.

Banksy’s artwork can sell for millions of pounds. An investigation is now underway to determine what charges should be brought against the defendants, Nebitov said.

The artwork was first seen in the town of Hostomel, northwest of the capital Kyiv, in November after heavy shelling by Russia destroyed parts of the region.

This photo taken on November 16, 2022 shows Banksy’s mural on the wall of a destroyed building in the town of Hostomel, near Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The group of eight cut the mural from the building’s wall, but were caught by police, who are now investigating.

It shows what appears to be a woman dressed in a gown and gas mask, carrying a bright red fire extinguisher.

His face is tilted up toward the burn marks rising from a blown-out window of a stark yellow building. The graffiti artist claimed the mural on Instagram days later, revealing that he had left as many as seven works in Ukraine.

The head of the Kyiv region’s military administration, Oleksii Kuleba, said that all art in Kyiv linked to the graffiti artist is under police surveillance.

“After all, these images are a symbol of our fight against the enemy,” he said.

‘These are the stories about the support and solidarity of the entire civilized world with Ukraine. Let’s do our best to preserve street art as a symbol of our future Victory.’

The artwork was first seen in the town of Hostomel, northwest of the capital Kyiv, in November after heavy shelling by Russia destroyed parts of the region.

Although the group managed to cut the mural off the wall, the image itself was not damaged and can be preserved.

Eight culprits between the ages of 27 and 60 were arrested at the scene.

Some of Banksy’s other Ukraine works include a gymnast balancing on her hands on the rubble at the bottom of an apartment building, which has been completely destroyed by Russian bombing.

Another mural showed a man resembling Russian President Vladimir Putin being knocked over during a judo match with a young child.

Another showed two children using a metal tank trap as a seesaw, while a separate piece in nearby Irpin showed a rhythmic gymnast waving a ribbon while wearing a neck brace.

A woman looks at graffiti by Banksy on the wall of a badly damaged building in the town of Gorenka, near Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In this Banksy piece, a gymnast is seen balancing on her hands on the rubble at the bottom of an apartment building on Borodyanka, which was completely destroyed by Russian bombing.