For the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, Ukrposhta, together with the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, issued the "We Are Waiting!" postage stamps as a sign of support for Ukrainian prisoners of war, missing persons, and their families, UNN reports, citing Ukrposhta.
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Ukraine is marking its fifth Independence Day during the full-scale war thanks to the people who stood up to defend it. Some of them are still being held captive in Russia, while the fate of others remains unknown. Their relatives, friends, fellow soldiers — and the entire country for whose independence they fought — are waiting for them.
The postage issue consists of two stamps — "Stork. Freedom" by artist Nikita Titov and "Messenger of Good News" by Andriy Yermolenko. Both works are about waiting, hope, and freedom that cannot be taken away.
"Stork. Freedom" depicts a bird with wings in the colors of the Flag of Hope, a symbol of support for prisoners of war and missing persons. White represents faith in their return, while black represents the unknown. The stork, which always returns home, symbolizes the return awaited by thousands of Ukrainian families.
On "Messenger of Good News," a prisoner of war’s hand reaches through the bars toward a tit, a symbol of good news. Even in captivity, Ukrainian soldiers preserve the spirit of freedom. And this postage issue will carry the most important message from home around the world: you are awaited here. In a free and independent Ukraine.
Ukrainians chose both designs during an open vote in the "Diia" app, in which nearly 328.8 thousand people took part.
A ceremony for the special cancellation of the new postage stamps was held at the Main Post Office with the participation of the leadership of Ukrposhta, the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and families of prisoners of war and those released from Russian captivity. Events were held simultaneously in all regions of Ukraine.
On August 24, an exhibition of portraits of Ukrainian servicemen who returned from Russian captivity also opened at the Main Post Office. It will run for a week. Alongside the postage symbols honoring those who are still awaited, the faces of those who have returned home have appeared.
"Independence Day is a bright holiday. But even on this day — or rather, precisely on this day — we must remember those who have done and continue to do everything to defend our independence. Those who are currently being held captive in Russia, and those considered missing.
For them and their families, every indication that they are remembered, awaited, and that efforts to secure their return continue is extremely important. Starting today, hundreds of thousands of our stamps will spread across Ukraine and the world to remind us again and again: we remember each and every one. And we are waiting for each and every one to come home," said Ihor Smilianskyi, CEO of JSC "Ukrposhta."
The print run of each of the two postage stamps is 360,000 copies. Both have a denomination of U.
A "First Day" envelope designed by Oleksii Kustovskyi, with a print run of 25,000 copies, and a presentation folder with a print run of 500 copies were also created for the issue. The stamps were printed using the offset method.