First, the PM was presented with a ceramic cockerel now he’s been honoured for his hair
Boris Johnson is struggling on every front in Britain as he fights off his own party to cling to power but in Ukraine, he’s become a folklore hero.
The prime minister has been inducted into the country’s Cossack community with a name that pays homage to his infamous wild blond hair.
While his haircut has often mirrored the mess he’s created politically, Johnson has been dubbed Boris Chupryna, which means “long lock of hair”, by a Cossack community in Chernihiv in northern Ukraine.
Local artists have depicted the PM as a Cossack Mamay – a Ukrainian folklore hero – playing the kobza, a Ukrainian folk instrument, in a painting.
Meet #BorysChupryna, U.K. PM @BorisJohnson’s name after officially becoming a #UkrainianCossack. Blessed by the Katerynynska Church's Chernihivska Cossack Community, the certificate and the painting made by artists Darya Dobryakova and Yuriy Kutylov will be sent to London. pic.twitter.com/WBzZjvKUFl
— KyivPost (@KyivPost) June 9, 2022
The Cossacks were a semi-nomadic people who originated in the steppes of Ukraine and Russia, and fought for Ukrainian independence and are noted for their horsemanship and military skill.
Coassacks are central to Ukraine’s identity, akin to the Japaense samurai or medieval knights of Europe.
A diploma certifying the PM’s initiation will be sent to Downing Street, MailOnline reported.
Andriy Lisovy of the Chernihiv regional museum said Johnson was inducted as a “sign of respect and gratitude” for his support of Ukraine.
“You can see that he has such a freedom-loving haircut, which underlines his personality, his strong will,” Lisovy added:
The honour comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky hailed as “great news” that Johnson had survived a no-confidence vote on Monday night despite 148 of his own MPs wanting to remove him.
“I’m glad we haven’t lost an important ally, this is great news,” Zelensky said at an online event.
Johnson has forged a close relationship with Zelensky since Russia first launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Zelensky called Johnson a “true friend of Ukraine” and a “concrete” supporter in an interview at a virtual conference hosted by the Financial Times on Tuesday.
The UK was among the first to provide weapons to support Ukraine’s defence and has imposed severe sanctions on Russia and allies of its president, Vladimir Putin.
In April, Johnson pledged “unwavering support” on a visit to the capital Kyiv, where he did an unannounced walkabout of the city with Zelensky.
Another detail from @BorisJohnson’s trip to Ukraine. That kitchen cabinet has become a popular meme here in Ukraine about the country’s resilience. https://t.co/hOgiCdshHJ
— Philip Crowther (@PhCrowther) April 9, 2022
He was later presented with a ceramic cockerel. The ornament has come to a symbol of hope and inviolability across the country after a single ceramic cockerel was found, unscathed, atop a kitch cabinet following the bombardment of Borodiank.
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