Ukraine Banksy postage stamps showing Russian President Putin in judo match - how to buy

Ukraine has issued a new postage stamp featuring a mural by Banksy. Originally painted on a bombed house, close to the capital Kiev, it shows what appears to be the Russian President losing in a judo match.

The postage stamps were released to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The UK graffiti artist’s mural depicts a man looking like Vladimir Putin being flipped by a young boy.

The original mural is in the town of Borodyanka, an area seized by Russian troops in the first few days of the invasion and recaptured in the spring. The artwork mysteriously appeared on a house destroyed by Russian shelling.

The stamp also features a Russian expletive apparently directed at the President. Putin is a judo black belt and a known admirer of the sport and the mural is understood to be a metaphor of Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion.

Queues were reported in Kyiv on Friday as residents rushed to buy the new stamps from the main post office, Holovposhtamt. Banksy has produced art works on buildings in several Ukrainian towns that have been among the worst-hit during the ongoing war.

This week, Ukraine marked the first anniversary of the war by remembering all those who have lost their lives in the conflict. US President Joe Biden also visited the capital Kiev to meet with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky

Buy Ukraine stamps

You can purchase Ukrainian stamps directly from the nation’s postal service Ukrposhta. However, the Banksy stamps do not look to be currently available.

Other items featuring the famous judo mural include a postcard and envelope. Both items are for sale via the Ukrposhta website.