The Ukrainian Postage Stamp "Russian Warship Go...!" Won the Italian Grand Prix "Asiago"

The thematic postage stamp "Russian warship go...!" won the highest award of the international award "Asiago", or "philatelic Oscar".

This was reported by the official website of Ukrposhta.

The stamp, created by Ukrainian artist Borys Hrom, competed with 35 countries participating in the "philatelic Oscar".

"Ukrposhta received such a high award for its unique and unprecedented response to Russian aggression and a special idea of implementation. Instead of the traditional appeal to weapons, scenes of struggle, the use of symbols and images associated with the war, the postage stamp "Russian warship, go...!" depicts a gesture that is understandable to everyone, with which the Ukrainian military appeals to the enemy to surrender," the statement said.

This year, the international award celebrates its 53rd anniversary. The jury traditionally includes publishers of philatelic literature, artists, philatelists, parliamentarians and government officials from Italy.

The award ceremony took place in the Piazza della Ziago, Vicenza, and the Consul General of Ukraine in Milan, Andriy Kartysh, personally received the award.

The Ukrainian stamp "Russian warship go...!" was presented on 12 April 2022 and became a graphic embodiment of the world-famous audio recording made in the first days of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the audio, a Ukrainian soldier on duty on Zmiinyi Island, Ukraine, responds to an illegal demand from a Russian warship to lay down their arms or die.  

The stamp design competition held in Ukraine attracted 700 Ukrainian and foreign artists, and the winner was chosen by popular vote on social media.

The stamp was issued in two versions for mailing within Ukraine and abroad. The first edition of 1 million stamps was sold out in one week, which was a record.  

Ukrainian stamps have been repeatedly recognised with various international awards. Last month, Ukrposhta was honoured at the prestigious World Post & Parcel Awards 2023 and won the Philatelic Campaign of the Year 2022 category.

In 2021, the postage stamp "Cry of the Carpathians" won bronze in the competition for the "Best European Postage Stamp 2021". And in 2019, the "Glory to Ukraine!" stamp won gold in the prestigious international Nexofil Award 2020 competition in the category "The most original stamp format in the world".