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This study was initiated during 2013, and was circulated to society peers for vetting and feedback in October 2015.  It elaborates on a genre of philately which is not as well-known as it should be. When Carpatho-Ukraine existed as a country, so very briefly in 1939 before being occupied by a neighbouring power, and then for most of 1945 before being absorbed into a neighbouring super-military, it produced stamps for 'its public'. These were a people who wanted their identity to be reflected in nationhood, though who had little choice but to bow to the dominance of others. Thus, and despite their locally produced stamps, some would argue that the nation of Carpatho-Ukraine was no more than a puppet of others, and so, not yet recognized by some philatelists who at the same time honour others with a similar history. It is a hope that this compilation will shed more light on the stamps that this small entity produced, and, as well, some of the history that these issues reflect. Know that there are many other Carpatho-Ukraine stamp texts, which this author learned from, that were completed by excellent members and friends of our UPNS!

This is a ‘voiced-over powerpoint’ presentation that is about 2½-hours. Each given slide is different in length as the result of content explanation.

Why the Need for these Provisionals? Primary reasons: a) inadequate supply of national issues due to lack of facilities; strategic USSR assets were ‘centralized’; thus, no modern and secure mint and print facilities in Ukraine; b) inadequate distribution network to all post offices; system had been Russia-centred for several decades; it now had to be reconfigured to Ukraine; Secondary reasons: c) the need to repatriate what had been a russified system; d) inflation-hyperinflation; at the very first minute of 02 January 1992, Ukrainian denomination was 8-to-1; but on 05 December 1993 it was 12,600-to-1, and by 09 December 1994 110,000-to-1. Yikes, and given this ‘trend’, there was a dramatic effect on the postal system and all of its ‘adjuncts’! However such variables, otherwise deleterious, resulted in an interestingly complex postage system and stamp production routine during this period.

Provisionals were a way that Ukraine supplemented an inadequate supply of national issues during 1992-1994. All of the provisionals stamp sets were in fact created locally (oblast, city). However, three of the overprinted sets achieved ‘national status’ almost as soon as they were issued, these being overprints of Kyiv, Lviv, and Chernihiv, aka the KLCs.

When Canadian Member of Parliament Borys Wrzesnewskyj attended Ukrainpex 2007, he indicated that he was involved with Kyiv’s Borysfen print shop. The Borysfen print shop in 1992 was responsible for the completion of the original overprinted sets for Kyiv, Lviv, and Chernihiv. The presses originally came from Canada and Wrzesnewskyj had made videos of the journey to get them into Ukraine. There they were first used in their Kyiv ‘underground’ bunker to produce Ukrainian pro-independence and pro-democracy leaflets and posters. As it turns out, the naming of the print shop is attributed to the mother of the young man doing the overprints, being a "fan" or as they say in Ukraine "fen" of Borys.

The Royal Canadian Mint issued on February 2, 2016 a 1 oz. Fine Silver Coloured Coin "Traditional Ukrainian Pysanka" with a low mintage of 4,000. This is the first-ever egg-shaped coin issued by the Royal Canadian Mint.  Preorders were brisk and the coin sold out before the release date.  

Designed by Canadian artist Ann Morash, this coin captures the intricate beauty of a pysanka. Every element on this Ukrainian Easter egg is rich with symbolic meaning, including the individual colours: yellow stands for youth and purity; red represents the joy and passion in life; green is the colour of spring, which brings hope and renewal; and black suggests the darkest time before dawn, and the idea of eternity.

 Coin issue plan for 2015 by the National Bank of Ukraine.

On March 9, 2015 the National Bank of Ukraine introduced into circulation a newly designed 100-hryvnia banknote with a number of advanced international security features, including a transparent 'window' and an optically variable SPARK feature which changes color depending on the viewing angle.

The new note is the dominant yellow-olive color as with the previous version of the bill and is printed on paper substrate containing a watermark of Taras Shevchenko and electrotype 100. The obverse features a portrait of Ukrainian national poet Taras Shevchenko, a painter’s palette and brushes as a SPARK patch, and prose from his poem “Shall we ever meet again...”("Чи ми ще зійдемося знову") written in 1838.

"Ukrposhta" issued a personal postage stamp of Nadiya Savchenko which was mailed to her together with a letter expressing their support.

"We are very worried about the fate of our Hope, because she is an example for all of us. As Shevchenko said "Boritesia - you will win!". She's not just a pilot and our compatriot, first of all, she is a woman who should not suffer like that... We would like to see her soon on our land healthy and smiling! .." - commented on the release of the stamp acting General Director of "Ukrposhta" Ihor Tkachuk.

The National Bank of Ukraine announced on Feb 18, 2015 the launch of three commemorative coins, the Heroes of Maidan series, 2015, dedicated to last year’s protests on Maidan that led to the change of power in Kyiv. The coins are called The Revolution of Dignity, Euromaidan and Heavenly Hundred. Each coin has a nominal value of 5 hryvnia and 50,000 were minted of each. The artists who composed the coins are Vladimir Taran, Alexander Kharuk, and Sergei Kharuk.

The UkrPoshta Stamp Program for 2015 features 8 blocks and 38 stamps.  This year Ukraine and Poland are issuing a joing issue.  Poland is no stranger when it comes to working closely with Ukraine on joint projects.  The last successful joint venture were the 2014 FIFA games and a number of beautiful stamps were issued as a result.  As well a last minute addition to the program is a stamp commemorating the anniversary of the Heavenly Hundred who gave their lives to depose a president during the 2014 EuroMaidan revolution.

Issue dates are subject to change by Ukraine Post.  The program is valid as of February 2, 2015.

16 December 2014 - Ottawa - The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) is pleased to announce that a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of Canada's First National Internment Operations is available for purchase.

During the First World War, thousands of Canadians, many of them of Ukrainian heritage, were designated "enemy aliens" and incarcerated under the War Measures Act in 24 internment camps across Canada, not for what they had done but for who they were or where they had come from. The Endowment Council of the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund (CFWWIRF), undertook to design a Canada Post Picture Postage Permanent Stamp as part of their efforts to ensure that the story of Canada's First National Internment Operations of 1914-1920 receive proper recognition among Canadians. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has organized these stamps to be made available to the general public through a grant by the Endowment Council of the CFWWIRF.