The elusive British street artist on Friday night posted on Instagram three images of the artwork - a gymnast performing a handstand amid the ruins of a demolished building in Borodyanka, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The piece was painted onto the wall of a building destroyed by Russian shelling.
At least one other piece of new graffiti in Banksy's signature style, although not posted by the artist himself on social media, was spotted elsewhere in the town, portraying a man being flipped in judo by a kid.
The scene could be a possible allusion to the biblical story of David and Goliath, the unlikely triumph of the underdog, as well as a reference to Russian leader Vladimir Putin whose much-publicised love of the Japanese martial art is widely known.
A third mural, also unconfirmed by Banksy, has been spotted on the side of a ruined building in the nearby town of Irpin, showing a gymnast performing a ribbon routine despite apparently being hurt and wearing a neck collar.
A number of murals in the style of Banksy have appeared in and around Kyiv prompting Ukrainians to think that the anonymous street artist might be working in the war-ravaged country.
Towns near Kiev such as Irpin, Borodyanka and Bucha were severely hit by Russia's bombardments early in the invasion and became a symbol of war crimes and devastation wrought by Moscow's offensive since February.
(mo)
Sources: IAR, Reuters
