Putin being flipped into a Ukrainian stamp

Ukraine has commemorated the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion by creating a stamp featuring a mural by Bristol's renowned graffiti artist, Banksy. The artwork, which depicts a young boy flipping a man resembling Russian President Vladimir Putin during a judo match, was originally painted on a house destroyed by Russian shelling in Borodyanka, near Kyiv.

The stamp features an abbreviated expletive directed towards Putin in the bottom left corner. For many Ukrainians, Banksy's mural has become a symbol of hope, representing the country's unwavering resistance to the Russian invasion that began on February 24, 2022. Residents in Kyiv rushed to purchase the new stamps from the main post office, Holovposhtamt, resulting in queues being reported.

Last year, Banksy released a poignant video featuring seven new murals on dilapidated buildings in Ukraine, including several in towns that had suffered the most during the ongoing conflict. Borodyanka, situated northwest of the capital, was one of the towns severely affected by Russian bombardment at the start of the invasion. Russian troops occupied the town for weeks before its liberation in April. Since then, reconstruction efforts have been focused on the town, resulting in the demolition of several tower blocks damaged during the fighting. Banksy has consistently shown his support for Ukraine throughout the year, including selling 50 limited-edition prints in December, with all proceeds donated to aid the people of Ukraine.