Banksy x UKR Posht - FCK PTN

Sheet of 6 stamps 10.9 x 10.9 cm + Enveloppe 16,1 x 11,3 cm + Postcard 14,8 x 11 cm.
Limited Edition of 250,000 sheets in the world.
Banksy's copyright visible on each stamp and on the bottom of the set.

While other murals left by Banksy in Ukraine are easy to understand, this one requires additional context. Although the face of a male figure on the mural is not visible, it is implied that it represents the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Putin is known for his love of judo and he holds a black belt in it. His love for judo was an important part of state propaganda, representing their leader as a strong and competent man capable of defeating even the Russian Olympic team. However, soon after the invasion of Ukraine, the International Judo Federation stripped Putin of all his titles and suspended his membership. A young boy defeating a grown man serves as a metaphor for Ukraine, a relatively small country compared to Russia, defeating its more powerful aggressor. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry compared the work to the story of David and Goliath.

Marking the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian Post issued a new stamp featuring Banksy’s mural. Apart from the image, they added a small inscription in Cyrillics, translated as FCK PTN. A portion of the money received from stamps was meant to be used to repair schools and universities damaged during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Banksy