Cockerel jug symbolising Ukraine's resistance gifted to Boris Johnson displayed in Edinburgh

A Ukrainian cockerel jug that was gifted to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Kyiv has gone on display in Edinburgh.

The jug, and another matching it, were handed to Johnson and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky from a woman in Kharkiv while they were walking through the city in April.

It was made in the 1960s by prominent ceramists Valerii and Nadiia Protoriev from Vasylkiv, a town near Kyiv.

Boris Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Flickr

Jugs of that type became a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance against invading Russian forces after photographer Elizaveta Servatynska captured an image of a similar jug sitting undamaged on a kitchen cabinet in a high-rise apartment block in March.

The building in Borodyanka had been badly hit by Russian bombing.

In Russian folklore, cockerels are believed to have powers of protection.

When the image of the undamaged jug went viral on social media, it became a symbol of the country’s stand against Russia’s invasion.

The jug gifted to the Prime Minister is now on display at the Edinburgh International Culture Summit where it will be visible to delegates.

The summit is attended by politicians, artists and cultural leaders from around the world, aiming to promote international cultural and artistic exchange.

This year’s summit will have a particular focus on Ukraine through discussions on culture and freedom.

UK arts minister Lord Parkinson said: “As we meet in Edinburgh, this jug will serve as a powerful reminder of Ukraine’s unflagging strength and resistance in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion.

“The Ukrainian people and the preservation of their unique cultural identity will be at the forefront of our minds as ministers and cultural leaders from around the world meet to discuss international cultural collaboration.”