Banksy's Judo Mural on Ukrainian Stamp for War Anniversary
Ukraine's postal service has issued a stamp featuring Banksy's mural of a child judoka defeating an adult, marking the first anniversary of the Russian invasion. The stamp, released on February 24, 2023, includes the Cyrillic inscription "FCK PTN" as a veiled insult against President Putin. Banksy created seven murals in Ukraine last autumn in Kyiv, Irpin, and Borodyanka, including images of children playing with a tank trap, gymnasts amid ruins, and a woman in a gas mask. He also auctioned 50 screenprints to support the Legacy of War Foundation. Meanwhile, Ajax Systems, a Kyiv-based security company founded in 2011, is protecting four of Banksy's murals in Borodyanka, Irpin, and Horenka with 24/7 monitoring, vibration sensors, cameras, and polycarbonate panels. The project, supported by the Kyiv administration, follows a December 2022 theft attempt in Gostomel. Ajax Systems previously protected St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and wooden buildings in Bergen, Norway.
Key facts
- Ukrainian postal service issued a stamp with Banksy's judo mural for the war's first anniversary on February 24, 2023.
- The stamp features the inscription 'FCK PTN' in Cyrillic, targeting Putin.
- Banksy created seven murals in Ukraine in autumn 2022 in Kyiv, Irpin, and Borodyanka.
- Murals depict children, gymnasts, and a woman in a gas mask.
- Banksy auctioned 50 screenprints to support Legacy of War Foundation.
- Ajax Systems is protecting four Banksy murals with high-tech security systems.
- A theft attempt occurred in Gostomel in December 2022.
- Ajax Systems previously protected St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and wooden buildings in Bergen, Norway.
Entities
Artists
- Banksy
- Vladimir Putin
Institutions
- Ukrainian Postal Service
- Legacy of War Foundation
- Ajax Systems
- Kyiv administration
- St. Sophia Cathedral
Locations
- Ukraine
- Kyiv
- Irpin
- Borodyanka
- Gostomel
- Horenka
- Bergen
- Norway
- Russia