To commemorate a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Ukrainian government has issued stamps depicting Russian president Vladimir Putin being flipped in a judo match by a young boy.
Despite being a keen judo enthusiast with a black belt, Putin was suspended by the International Judo Federation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after having previously been involved in major judo events such as the World Championships and the 2012 London Olympic Games.
These Ukrainian stamps are based on a mural painted by Banksy, which appeared in the Kyiv region of Borodianka in October. In addition to the image, the stamps also carry the message “FCK PTN.”
“We believe that the Ukrainian postage stamp ‘FCK PTN!’ will also become prophetic,” said Igor Smelyansky, head of Ukraine’s postal service, in an interview with “Inside the Games.”
“And in 2023, Ukraine, which is smaller in terms of territory but hundreds of times more motivated, will finally ‘pin Russia to the mat.'”
The well-known British street artist ‘Banksy’ has been a strong supporter of the Ukrainian war effort, having sold 50 limited-edition prints with all the proceeds going towards the country.
Banksy’s artwork has emerged in several of the most severely impacted cities in Ukraine, and he released a video showcasing seven new murals on ruined buildings.
Yula Patoku, a resident of Borodianka, along with her six-year-old daughter Zlata, spoke with the artist while he created the mural depicting a small child throwing Putin during a judo match.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Yula said, “I chatted with Banksy, not knowing who he was, as he created this artwork, and when he spoke to my daughter, she told him she liked it. She said it was like a child saving his father from being attacked by a monster – similar to Ukraine rescuing the world from something evil, like Russia.”
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