Limited Edition Stamp Featuring April 2022 Anti-Japanese Resistance Message Issued for the First Time
As the war in Ukraine prolongs, marking the third Christmas since its outbreak, limited edition Ukrainian stamps are gaining renewed attention. They embody the spirit of resistance with the message "We will never surrender to Russia," turning the pain of war into a form of defiant humor.
According to the British BBC on the 25th (local time), the Ukrainian government first issued limited edition stamps with resistance messages in April 2022, two months after the war began. At that time, the Ukrainian Postal Service announced on Facebook that they were selling stamps inscribed with "Russian warship, go f*** yourself." The phrase quoted on the stamp was originally said by Roman Hrybov, a soldier captured as a prisoner of war while resisting the Russian forces.
A limited edition Ukrainian stamp issued in April 2022 with the phrase "Russian warship, go f*** yourself." Screenshot from X.
The stamp features a Ukrainian soldier giving the middle finger to the Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. More than 5 million stamps were sold within five days of release, and they sold out within a week.
Following this, the Ukrainian Postal Service began issuing more limited edition stamps carrying resistance messages. These included images of Ukraine’s famous mine-detecting dogs and a mural painted by the world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin being carried away. The popularity of these stamps was high, with sales reaching up to 8 million copies.
According to an online survey conducted by the Postal Service among stamp buyers, the most popular stamp was the one showing a Ukrainian tractor towing a Russian tank. The revenue from stamp sales was mainly used for Ukraine’s defense fund. The Postal Service stated that the fund was used to procure mine-clearing equipment and air-raid shelters.
Limited edition stamp featuring a mural of Russian President Vladimir Putin being carried piggyback, painted by the world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
The idea to issue limited edition stamps originated from Ihor Smiliansky, the head of the Ukrainian Postal Service. Ihor told the BBC, “It was an unconventional idea, but humor became our strength to fight amid the war.”
Oscar Young from the British stamp auction house Stanley Gibbons told the BBC, “Generally, stamps are artistic and polite, but the use of rude language and gestures on these stamps is a unique feature only seen here.”
He added, “These candid images made the stamps famous and resonated strongly with the social atmosphere during the Ukraine war.” Typically, stamps issued by countries consist of official or traditional photos and illustrations.
The limited edition stamps are also popular among stamp collectors worldwide. One collector explained the reason for their popularity, saying, “They reveal the strong mindset of Ukrainians who never surrender even amid the horrors of war.”
The post office has no plans to reissue the sold-out limited edition stamps. However, it is known that they plan to produce and sell goods such as T-shirts.
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