Today, on October 12, 2015, USEP "Ukrposhta” and the National Bank of Ukraine have presented  a  postage stamp and a commemorative coin devoted to a new Ukrainian holiday – the Defender of Ukraine Day.    

The event was attended by acting Director General of USEP “Ukrposhta” Ihor Tkachuk, Director of the NBU Cash Circulation Department Viktor Zaivenko, Director of the NBU Mint Volodymyr Reshynskyi, employees of USEP "Ukrposhta” and the National Bank of Ukraine who have participated in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) – IvanLavrinenko  and Viktor Nosulko, designers Oleksandr and Serhii  Kharuk        .

On October 12, 2015, the National Bank of Ukraine  put into circulation the commemorative coin “Defender of  Ukraine Day”  dedicated to honoring the courage and heroism  of those who have fought  for national freedom.

The coin is fascinating in artistic design  – the coin's obverse bears the figure of the Holy Virgin Theotokos against the background of the ornament, under the Holy Virgin omophorion there are Cossacks (to the left) and present-day warriors and defenders (to the right). On the coin reverse against the background of military fatigues (the pad printing technology, which  enables the application of colour images, has been applied to this end) there is a conventionalized image of the trident –  the Mark of the Ducal State of Volodymyr the Great, above there are  semicircular inscriptions:   FOR HONOUR! FOR GLORY! FOR THE NATION!

The commemorative coin of 5 hryvnia face value is made of German silver, quality –  “special  uncirculated”, weight – 16.5 g, diameter – 35.0 mm, mintage – 50 000 pieces. The coin edge is grooved.

The commemorative coin “Defender of Ukraine Day”  is  priced at  UAH 29.  

The commemorative coins are available for sale at at prices set by the National Bank of Ukraine at the NBU regional offices (except for the NBU Main   Office in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and NBU regional offices in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts) as well as from NBU distributors engaged in selling commemorative  coins of Ukraine ( State Savings Bank of Ukraine JSC,  KHRESCHATYK  PJSCCB and OKCI  BANK PJSC). 

The coin has been created by designers Volodymyr Taran, Oleksandr  Kharuk and Serhii Kharuk , and engravers  Volodymyr Atamanchuk and Sviatioslav Ivanenko.

Director of the NBU Cash Circulation Department Viktor Zaivenko underlined that the Defender of Ukraine Day is a new holiday in the history of independent Ukraine, but it is not new in the Ukrainian history.

“It is on the day martking the Intercession of the Holy Virgin the Ukrainian Cossacks honoured their  troops.  People refer to this holiday as Cossack   Intercession.   The image of Virgin Mary holding a long white veil has become a kind of talisman of Ukraine, a symbol of its eternal striving for peaceful life,” he said, thanking all the defenders of the Ukrainian land for their heroism and unbroken spirit.

Viktor Zaivenko  added that the NBU employees are seeking to help our army.  Thus, from the moment military aggression was unleashed against our country, the National Bank of Ukraine has   handed over  more than  100   motor vehicles, including armoured vehicles that could be used for the  evacuation of the wounded from the areas of hostilities, to the Ukrainian Armed Forces so that transport vehicles would be deployed in the ATO area.  The funds raised by the NBU employees were used to purchase the necessary military fatigues and equipment required by the Ukrainian soldiers, which were thereafter transferred to the Armed Forces deployed in the ATO area.

The presentation was also attended by the employees of USEP "Ukrposhta” and the National Bank of Ukraine who have participated in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) – postal delivery worker Ivan Lavrinenko and head of the electronic document management systems support division of the NBU Procurement and Logistics Department  Viktor Nosulko.                      

According to Viktor Nosulko, who was conscripted to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in March 2014 and has recently returned to work at the National Bank of Ukraine, it is a holiday of all those who serve on the frontlines and take up arms to defend peace, those who have given their lives defending the Motherland or those who are prepared to do this if required.  “I feel convinced that through joint efforts by our defenders we will restore the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, and the stamps and coins presented today will remind our descendants not only of  the historic events, but also of the real-life armed  hostilities,” he underlined.