Twitter screenshot
WAR IN UKRANE – A rooster presented to an Englishman. The image may make you smile at first glance, but since then it has acquired a strong symbolism for Ukrainians. the invasion of the country by Russian troops†
Next Saturday April 9th Boris Johnson continued his visit Ukraine† After a surprise arrival and a first meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, the two men – accompanied – started a walk through the deserted streets of Kiev.
During this visit to the capital, a young woman approached the British Prime Minister to give him a rooster ceramics. Initially surprised, Boris Johnson launches “I come from London” to this Ukrainian, certainly thinking of a confusion with the symbol of France. But the young woman then replies: “I know, I’m from Kharkov”.
“BoJo” was then given an explanation of the reason for this sacrifice, which is very symbolic for the Ukrainian people.
These rooster-shaped ceramic pitchers were designed by Ukrainian sculptor-artist Prokop Bidasiuk, whose work on toys, vases or tableware is exhibited at the National Museum of Applied Folk Art in Kiev.
Symbol of resilience in Ukraine
As the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains on Twitter, this work refers to an event that took place in Borodianka, a small town 60 km from Kiev whose the situation was described by Volodymyr Zelensky as “much more terrible” than in Boutcha†
These ceramic roosters by artist Prokop Bidasiuk were recognized in a photo at Borodyanka† In a building destroyed by the bombings there was still a kitchen cupboard on which a rooster by the Ukrainian artist sat intact on the throne.
Since then, this image has made the rounds in Ukraine to become a “symbol of immunity,” as Ukraine’s foreign ministry calls it in its tweet.
Volodymyr Zelensky and Boris Johnson took the opportunity to capture the moment with the woman behind the gifts.
See also on The HuffPost: War in Ukraine: What state Chernobyl is in after Russia pulls out
