Commemorative banknote "REMEMBER! WE WILL NOT FORGIVE!"

Among souvenirs, postage stamps, coins, medals, badges, and banknotes are in great demand. Especially when they are made not just by amateurs or craft producers, but by the state itself. The National Bank of Ukraine has long been issuing banknotes for special occasions, holidays, or commemorations. The relevance is confirmed by the demand for such products, which only grows more expensive over time.

The struggle of the Ukrainian people against the Russian invaders

The first attempts to overthrow the Ukrainian government, seize cities and gain new territories date back to April 2014. Many media outlets refer to this period as the beginning of the war in eastern Ukraine. Legally, the hostilities continued as an anti-terrorist operation and then as a Joint Forces Operation. For 8 years, the conflict was not resolved, peace was not achieved, and some Ukrainian cities were occupied by self-proclaimed republics.

A new stage of Russian aggression was the full-scale invasion of the territory of an independent sovereign state on February 24, 2022. However, the Russian army failed to completely seize Ukraine. For a year, the Ukrainian people resisted and defended the country. The international community condemned the actions of the Russian authorities and provided financial, humanitarian, and military support to Ukraine. This helped the Ukrainian armed forces not only put up a decent fight, but also liberate more than half of the occupied territories.

Description of the commemorative 20 hryvnia banknote.

·         In the spring of 2023, the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories is still ongoing. To mark the anniversary of the confrontation between the Ukrainian people, more than one souvenir was issued. The NBU did not stand aside and also presented a commemorative banknote. The presentation was held on February 23 by NBU Governor Andriy Pyshnyi. The banknote has become a kind of memorial to the longstanding struggle of the Ukrainian people for their sovereignty and independence. It conveys the meaning and goal of survival and victory that is important to every Ukrainian.

·         The banknote is put into circulation immediately after its presentation as legal tender without any restrictions. The main features include a vertical orientation and a bright and expressive design. The commemorative banknote has its own series with banknote numbers ranging from one to 300 thousand and the signature of the NBU Governor. 200 thousand banknotes will be issued as they are produced in souvenir packaging, and 99.9 thousand will be issued in envelopes. The first samples are available for purchase at the NBU's online numismatic store, and starting in April, at distributor banks and other points of sale.

o   Date of putting into circulation: 23.02.2023

o   Dimensions: 80 x 165 mm

o   Face value: 20 hryvnia

o   Series: ZS

o   Edition: 300 thousand copies.

o   Design: Volodymyr Taran

The banknote has all the security features that correspond to a banknote of the respective denomination series (including watermarks, embossed images, UV and infrared sensitive areas, and magnetic elements). Additional security optically variable elements are also included.

What is depicted on the banknote "Remember! We will not forgive!"

The artist Volodymyr Taran works in several areas and participates in the creation of Ukrainian coins, banknotes and postage stamps. He is a co-author of the 2003-2005 banknotes. He has designed more than 300 commemorative and anniversary coins.

On the vertically oriented banknote, the main image on the front side is the figure of three soldiers hoisting the Ukrainian flag. On the right side of the flag, the banknote is issued by the NBU and is signed by the NBU Governor. The soldiers are in the steppe, where poppies bloom, representing the memory of their fallen comrades. The main image features the national flags of the countries that supported Ukraine from the very first days and a silhouette image of the southern and eastern parts of the country.

Slightly higher in the center is the inscription of the slogan "Glory to Ukraine, Glory to Heroes", which is accompanied by the hryvnia sign, the sign of the National Bank of Ukraine, the chevron of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the emblem of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Above the stylized polymeric ribbon is the inscription: "And there will be no enemy on the renewed land...". At the top is an informational inscription about the event in two languages:

"On February 24, 2022, a new stage of armed aggression against Ukraine began with the full-scale invasion of the Russian army. The people's war for Ukraine's independence and sovereignty has been going on since 2014. It is also a war for a civilizational choice: Ukraine is defending its belonging to the European civilization and, at the same time, the fundamental values, rights and freedoms that underlie the Western world."

The reverse side of the banknote features an image that personifies Ukrainian pain and suffering during the occupation: hands tied behind the back. Surrounding it in the background are many other symbolic elements, including bullet holes in the form of poppy flowers, a wreath of thorns, candle flames, etc. The reverse side also bears the inscription "Remember! We will not forgive! Never!", next to which is a protective image in the form of a viburnum and an anti-tank hedgehog.