A Banksy mural in Ukraine has been reportedly "stolen" in Ukraine. An image shared on social media appears to show the painting has been ripped from the wall of a building in the war-torn town of Hostomel.
The stolen artwork depicts what appears to be a woman wearing a dressing gown and a gas mask, carrying a bright red fire extinguisher. Her face is tilted upwards towards scorch marks rising from a window of a yellow building in the town located north of Kyiv.
A recent tweet from Kyiv Independent reporter Illia Ponomarenko reads: "A Banksy graffiti in Hostomel has been stolen. People, what the f*ck is this, huh?" NEXTA, a European media site, said that the "'art connoisseurs' have already been detained".
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They tweeted: "In #Gostomel, vandals cut one of the works of the famous British artist #Banksy from the wall. The "art connoisseurs" have already been detained."
Fans of the mysterious Bristol-based artist took to Twitter to reply to the news. Some said they are not surprised that it has happened.
@EarthUncutTV said: "That’s sad but in a town ravaged by war with, no doubt, many people in a desperate situation this doesn’t surprise me." @so_adorable added: "I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did!"
@Barwin1986 put: "His art is very expensive. Someone might have even traveled from outside the country to steal it, taking advantage of the lack of surveillance everywhere due to the war."
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