2023 "The Cities of Heroes. Bucha. Irpin. Hostomel."
Ukraine MFN531
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: M (Corresponds to the fee for sending ordinary letters of up to 50g within Ukraine)
First Day of Issue: March 31st 2023
First Day City: Kyiv, Ukraine
Quantity Issued: 100,000 blocks
Printed by: SE “Integrated Printing Plant “Ukraina” for Production of Securities”
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Souvenir sheet of 3 designs
About the stamp design: Photo on the postage block by Serhii Nuzhnenko, Mykhailo Dzhos; Artwork by Oleksandr Nikitiuk.
Special Design Details: The trident found in the corners of the stamps has been Ukraine's coat of arms for over 1,000 years. Use of the trident was banned for many years during the reign of the Soviet Union. In the margins of the sheet, the text “We will not forget! We will not forgive! Bucha. Irpin. Hostomel.” is written in Ukrainian.
History the stamps represent:
During the first days of Russia's war against Ukraine, the cities of the Kyiv region bore the brunt of the enemy's attack, particularly the capital, Kyiv. The civilian population endured unimaginable cruelty with the arbitrary actions of the occupiers. One of the most horrific incidents was the Bucha Massacre, where civilians were brutally killed and tortured.
The destruction inflicted upon these cities can be seen in a photo of Irpin, taken from the sideline. The sheet’s postage stamps also demonstrate the devastation, featuring documentary photos of an enemy convoy destroyed in Bucha. Another stamp portrays the crossing of the Irpin River, which served as the primary evacuation route for civilians. And, one stamp captures the AN-225 Mriya, the world's largest transport aircraft, destroyed by the enemy at the airfield in Hostomel.
In March 2022, ten Ukrainian cities, including Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel, were awarded the prestigious title of "Hero City of Ukraine." The stamps recognize the bravery and resilience displayed by the inhabitants of these cities.