Ukraine points postage stamp that includes "prophetic" Banksy art work

The Ukrainian postal service Ukrposhta has launched a stamp that includes a picture by British artist Banksy and the phrases FCK PTN! to mark one yr for the reason that begin of the struggle in Ukraine.

A yr on from Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, the nationwide postal service has issued a stamp referred to as FCK PTN!, which depicts a boy successful a judo battle towards a grown man.

The art work, which is an allegory of Ukraine defeating Russia by “pinning it to the mat”, was initially drawn by Banksy on the wall of a destroyed home in Borodyanka.

The stamps function the phrases FCK PTN! in Cyrillic lettering – the alphabet utilized by Slavic-speaking individuals – within the backside left nook.

“We imagine that the Ukrainian postage stamp ‘FCK PTN!’ may even turn into prophetic,” stated Ukrposhta director basic Igor Smelyanskyi.

“And in 2023, Ukraine, which is smaller when it comes to territory however a whole bunch of instances extra motivated, will lastly ‘pin Russia to the mat’.”

Banksy mural pokes enjoyable at Vladimir Putin

In line with Ukrposhta, the nameless artist Banksy travelled to Borodyanka within the autumn of 2022 and graffitied quite a lot of buildings within the city, which had been destroyed by Russian shelling within the spring of 2022.

After the city was seized, Ukrainian officers accused the Russians of committing mass struggle crimes there.

The picture used on the stamp references Russian president Vladimir Putin’s love of judo. He’s identified to be a black belt within the martial artwork type.

“Somewhat boy who knocks out a grown man is an allegorical picture – that is the wrestle of Ukraine towards the Russian Federation,” the Ukrainian postal service stated when revealing the particular launch.

“Our small nation, in comparison with Russia, courageously entered into an unequal battle with the enemy and, regardless of all of the difficulties, is combating for victory.”

The primary stamp sheets had been unveiled on the most important put up workplace in Kyiv. Every stamp can be utilized to ship a letter weighing as much as 50 grams inside the nation.

In complete, Ukrposhta has launched 250,000 sheets of six stamps. An envelope, postcard, folder, body and hoodie have additionally been launched together with the stamp. A proportion of every sale will likely be donated to academic establishments affected by the struggle.

Stamp follows Crimean bridge-attack stamp

The stamp shouldn’t be the primary stamp that Ukrposhta has issued in response to the struggle. In October, it launched a Titanic-themed stamp designed by Ukrainian painter Yuriy Shapoval to mark an explosion on the bridge connecting Crimea and Russia.

The struggle in Ukraine has prompted quite a lot of responses from designers and artists, who confirmed their solidarity with Ukraine by sharing designs on social media.

Different designers have responded by promoting prints to lift funds to assist these affected and launching auctions on Instagram.

Banksy is thought for his politically charged works. Amongst them are a mural that pokes enjoyable at Brexit and a sketch for a slavery memorial.

The picture is courtesy of Shutterstock.