Its release is scheduled to coincide with Russia’s Unity Day on November 4. The Crimean bridge was built to connect Russia to the territory it illegally annexed in 2014 and symbolized the country’s eternal control of the peninsula and its regional impunity. President Vladimir Putin was there to open it. For Ukrainians, the bridge was a reminder of Russian occupation and their inability to act against Russia, then widely considered the third most powerful military in the world. Designed by Ukrainian artist Yuriy Shapoval, the stamp shows the bridge behind clouds of dark gray smoke. In the foreground is the famous scene from Titanic where Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet stand on the bow of the ship, a reference to Russia’s claims that the bridge was unsinkable. Ihor Smelianskyi, CEO of Ukrposhta, Ukraine’s state postal service, wrote on Telegram that the stamp shows “the titanic efforts of our people and our armed forces.” “Our bridge stands strong, their bridge is as tired as their ideology,” Smelyansky wrote of the seal launch on the pedestrian bridge in Kyiv that shook when a Russian missile landed next to it a few weeks ago. “Today marks eight years, eight months, eight days since the Russians launched their attack and hopefully our victory is less than eight months away.” Our bridge stands strong, their bridge is as tired as their ideology. I was happy to release the “Crimean Bridge” stamp with @rustem_umerov on the Kiev bridge. Today, 8 years, 8 months, 8 days since the Russians launched their attack and hopefully our victory is less than 8 months away. @OlKubrakov pic.twitter.com/86Aprbro9p — Igor Smelyansky (@smelyansky_igor) November 4, 2022 Early on October 8, dramatic footage emerged of a large explosion engulfing the bridge in fire. Witnesses posted photos of the damaged bridge, parts of which had collapsed into the Kerch Strait. As with a series of explosions at Russian bases in Crimea over the summer, Ukraine did not claim responsibility for the attack. But senior Ukrainian officials publicly gloated in a way that left no doubt who was behind it. The head of Ukraine’s National Security Council released a video of the explosion to the sounds of Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.” The day before the strike was Putin’s 70th birthday. Russia blamed Ukrainian special forces and described it as a terrorist act. At least three people were killed in the attack, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee. Subscribe to This is Europe The most central stories and debates about Europeans – from identity to the economy to the environment Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. What is not yet clear is how the bridge was attacked. Recent footage of maritime drones – believed to be controlled by Ukrainian forces – speeding towards the Admiral Makarov near Sevastopol, Crimea, is one possible method suggested by experts. Flame and smoke rise from the Crimean bridge on October 8. Photo: AP With the help of Western arms and funding, the Ukrainians have secured what many doubted at the start of the invasion – successive Russian retreats. But perhaps one of the most surprising results of the war has been the explosions and strikes on Russian military bases deep in Crimea and on Russian warships in the Black Sea. Ukraine issued its first wartime postage stamp in April. The limited edition stamp, which has since become a collector’s item, depicts a Ukrainian soldier raising his middle finger to Russia’s flagship in Moscow as it sinks into the Black Sea. The attack on Moscow was a much-needed boost for Ukraine at a time when Russia was pounding Ukrainian forces with artillery across the front line and Western weapons were slow to arrive. On the edge of the sheet of stamps was the slogan “Russian warship fuck yourself!”, though with the profanity omitted. The words were first spoken by Roman Hrybov when a Russian warship asked him and his crew to surrender to Snake Island just hours after Russia launched its invasion. Hrybov’s words went viral and became a wartime rallying call for Ukrainians. Ukraine has printed 7 million Crimean Bridge stamps that will be available at all Ukrposhta post offices starting Friday, Smelianskyi said. The perforated edge of the stamp has an image of a blue Crimean Bridge sign written in Russian in red with the Ukrainian word and “encore!”
