Cyborgs postage stamp

Postage stamp "Cyborgs. They survived! The concrete failed!"

Today, no one says that an armed conflict broke out in Ukraine in 2014. The concept of the anti-terrorist operation is now equated and interpreted as the Russian-Ukrainian war in Donbas, although the Russian authorities do not recognize their involvement in the situation and blame everything on the will of the Russian-speaking population. The Ukrainian government has tried in every way to resolve the issue diplomatically, but has failed to reach an agreement for 8 years.

dispatch tower of the Donetsk airport. Photos from other sources

War on the pages of Ukrainian philately

Ukrainian history has been constantly accompanied by the struggle for independence. The first steps towards its achievement in modern times date back to 1918, when there were first attempts to declare independence. However, they were unsuccessful, just as they were on the eve of World War II in 1939. Until 1992, the country was constantly under Soviet influence, which was negative in nature, neglecting Ukrainian culture, language, life, and traditions.

Ukrainian philately was also born during the first attempts to gain independence in 1918-1919. It was at this time that the first stamps with the Ukrainian trident were issued. It took more than half a century for Ukrainian philately to emerge as an independent state. For 30 years, philatelic issues periodically published stamps dedicated to the events of wars and revolutions in which Ukrainians participated. These stamps include issues dedicated to:

- World War II;

- The Armed Forces of Ukraine;

- ATO and JFO soldiers;

- russian aggression in 2022.

Postage stamp "Cyborgs. They survived! Concrete failed!" is dedicated to the Ukrainian defenders of the Donetsk airport and dates back to 2014-2022. During the unresolved armed conflict lasting 8 years, the following stamps dedicated to the ATO and JFO were issued:

- 2014 - stamp "For Honor! For glory! For the People!", which depicts a soldier with the call sign Frenchman;

- 2018 - Faces of the Ukrainian Army series, stamp Fighter Leshyi;

- 2018 - the Faces of the Ukrainian Army series, the stamp Boyets Brand;

- 2020 - Cyborgs stamp. They survived! Concrete failed!

Other militaristic stamps included issues dedicated to the Armed Forces and Ukrainian military equipment. The latest stamps to be issued before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army in 2022 are the 2021 issue, which was supported by the Ministry of Defense and dedicated to the Land Forces.

 What we know about the postage stamp dedicated to cyborgs

One might think that the stamp was issued too late, as the events at Donetsk airport were covered repeatedly in the media, specialized publications, and eyewitness accounts until 2020. The stamp is dedicated to the 5th anniversary of the completion of the airport defense, which lasted 242 days from May 26, 2014 to January 22, 2015. The stamp is intended to honor the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives.

- Date of issue: 22.02.2020

- Circulation: 130 thousand copies

- Stamp format - 28x40 mm

- Number of stamps per sheet - 9 (3x3)

- Denomination - V (9.00 UAH)

- Design author - Andrii Yermolenko

The events immortalized on the pages of philately are engraved in the history of Ukraine. During the defense of the Ukrainian land, more than 200 soldiers were killed at the airport, including 58 in the last few days when the enemy blew up the terminal.

Defense of Donetsk Airport. Photo by Glavkom.

Description of the stamp "Cyborgs. They survived! Concrete failed!"

The stamp is presented in a vertical format in gloomy colors, dominated by black, gray and red. The colors of the Ukrainian flag are the brightest in the palette. There are only two blue and yellow flags in the sketch. One of them is placed on a soldier's breast patch, and the other on the roof of the airport control tower.

The center of the stamp depicts a soldier holding an assault rifle. His stern gaze is directed into the distance. The emotions convey the spirit of indomitability, courage and devotion. In the background, the damaged but still intact DAP tower can be seen. It is depicted exclusively in the red color palette. The tower is surrounded by gray smoke. Instead of the sky, a black background is depicted.

The top of the stamp contains a slogan that characterizes the cyborgs - They survived! The concrete failed! Below it is the inscription Ukraine in capital letters in two languages. On the left edge is the Ukrainian coat of arms. All inscriptions are in white on a black background. At the bottom left is the stamp denomination and year of issue. The initials of the author of the sketch are in small letters next to it.

Envelope of the first day They survived!