UKRAINE RELEASES BANKSY MURAL STAMP MARKING ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF RUSSIAN INVASION
February 24, 2023 marks one year since the Ukrainian world suffered tremendous pain, suffering and fear after Russia invaded Ukraine. During these painful years, the Ukrainian people have inspired the world with their perseverance and unwillingness to yield to Russia. As the war continued, Ukraine's postal service, Ukrposhta, issued new commemorative stamps to raise funds for the armed forces. This special stamp features a mural by renowned British street artist Banksy.
This stamp features a Banksy stencil depicting a judo match in which a boy puts an old man on his back. The piece is a sly reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has a black belt in judo. The David and Goliath dynamic is pretty clear, but to really show that the outsiders are attached to the big badass, Ukrposhta added the phrase "FCK PTN" in Cyrillic to the bottom left corner.
“This day feels like the beginning of a new countdown,” shared Ukrposhta in a statement released on Facebook. “After all, February 24 then and February 24 now are like two different worlds. And we today cannot be recognised.
“There is no panic, doubt, or fear spreading between us. What lies between us is pride, togetherness, shared grief, and a goal to achieve that everyone stands still. There is no other way to resist. And otherwise, we can't.”