Mastermind of Banksy removal could face years in jail, Ukraine says

FILE PHOTO: A local woman walks next to a wall of a residential building, heavily damaged during Russian invasion, from which a group of people tried to steal the work of street artist Banksy, in the town of Hostomel, Kyiv region, Ukraine December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

KYIV (Reuters) - The suspected mastermind behind the removal of a Banksy mural in a Ukrainian town could face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty, Ukraine's interior ministry said on Monday.

The artwork, depicting a woman in a gas mask and a dressing gown holding a fire extinguisher, was taken off a wall in the town of Hostomel on Dec. 2, according to officials.