Banksy Ukraine art: Graffiti artist appears to confirm gymnastics mural in Borodyanka near Kyiv is his

Graffiti artist Banksy unveils mural on bombed out building appearing to confirm his presence in war-torn Ukraine
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Bansky appears to have confirmed he has been in Ukraine after murals appearing on several buildings shelled by Russian troops raised speculation the world renowned graffiti artist was in the country. The anonymous artist took to Instagram to share images of one of the pieces, seemingly taking credit for the  graffiti.

On Friday (November 11), Banksy posted several photos of a gymnast balancing on a bombed out building with the caption “Borodyanka, Ukraine”, seen as a confirmation that he is behind the art in the war-torn country. Other murals have been appearing in Borodyanka, near Kyiv, including a depiction of Russian president Vladimir Putin getting flipped by a child in a judo suit.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Borodyanka, located north west of Kyiv, saw heavy bombing by Russian artillery during the early stages of the invasion. The town was occupied by Russian troops in February before being liberated and returned to Ukrainian control in April.

Banksy has only confirmed one of the murals so far, but three more paintings in the famous artist’s style have been spotted in the war-torn country. In Kyiv, a picture of two children using a metal tank trap as a seesaw has appeared.

And in Iprin, a town subjected to the massacre of hundreds of civilians by Russian troops earlier this year, a ‘Banksy’ style painting of a rhythmic gymnast with a ribbon while wearing a neck brace has been seen dancing on a hole in a building.

‘Banksy’ style Remembrance Day pub mural appears overnight in Greater Manchester

Back in the UK, a ‘Banksy’ style mural of two soldiers operating a mortar, surrounded by red poppies, appeared on a pub wall on Friday (November 11). However, the Remembrance Day motif in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, does not appear to have been made by the artist himself.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The pub landlord Adam Wells told a national newspaper the mural is most likely the work of a local graffiti artist called ‘Mr Eggs’ but no one has taken credit for the art so far. Wells said: "It’s not just random graffiti, it’s just a tasteful mural really that’s next to a memorial. We’re more than happy with it really, it’s tasteful and respectful.

"We work with the British Legion and try and support them as much as we can and they’ve messaged and are more than happy with it being there. There is a big service at the pub every Remembrance Day so the mural will be part of the memorial service which we support."

The country fell silent on Friday at 11am, honouring those who have died in military conflict around the world since World War I, ending on November 11, 1918.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.