No, Ukraine hasn't issued postal stamps featuring Yaroslav Hunka

Context

On September 22, 2023, 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka was introduced as a war hero associated with the First Ukrainian Division in the Canadian House of Commons. Hunka received a standing ovation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his Cabinet, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

However, it was later revealed that Hunka had served in World War II as a member of the S.S., a voluntary unit predominantly composed of ethnic Ukrainians and under the command of Nazis, including Heinrich Himmler. Speaker Anthony Rota publicly apologized afterward, citing his lack of knowledge of Hunka's wartime affiliations. Subsequently, he resigned on September 26. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau formally apologized for the incident on September 27.

What's the claim?

Following Hunka's appearance in the Canadian Parliament, claims circulated on X that the Ukrainian Postal Service, Ukrposhta, released stamps featuring Hunko's face. The posts display an image of Hunko from the parliamentary event with text in red: "ЯРОСЛАВ ГУНЬКА ГЕРОЙ УКРАЇНИ," translating to "YAROSLAV HUNKA HERO OF UKRAINE." This image overlays a background featuring Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, from the ceremony, set against Ukrainian-colored flags, with text that reads, "ГЕРОЇ НЕ ВМИРАЮТЬ" in yellow, which translates to "HEROES DON'T DIE," in white.

An X user shared the postal stamp with the caption, "The Ukrainian Postal Service is now issuing stamps with the face of the WW2 Waffen SS Nazi Galicia cretin Yaroslav Hunko." 

A now-deleted post on X by the Russian Embassy in the U.K. garnered 503,700 views and read: "Ukrainian post issued stamps with an old fascist man applauded by #Zelensky in Canada. They may apologise, but it's impossible to hide the nature of political regimes in #Ukraine & #Canada. We call on the #UK government to unequivocally condemn this display of #Nazism," The archived versions of the posts can be found here and here.

Screenshots of the viral X posts. (Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the claims are false. Ukrposhta told Logically Facts no such stamp was issued.

What we found

The alleged stamp is not listed on Ukrposhta's official website. Further, the postal service's latest press release on September 25, 2023, discusses the upcoming release of new stamps showcasing weaponry rather than any particular individual.

Authentic Ukrainian postage stamps typically include distinctive barcodes and QR codes, crucial for tracking and verifying their legitimacy. The stamp shared on social media includes a barcode, 4823027150765, on the right corner.

Screenshot of the viral stamp featuring a barcode in the upper right corner. (Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

Upon verification of the barcode EAN 4823027150765 on Barcode Lookup, it has been confirmed that this barcode is not associated with any stamp featuring Hunka. Instead, it is specifically linked to an envelope commemorating Ukraine Independence Day 2022, known as the "Free, Unbreakable, Invincible" envelope, which can also be found on the Ukrposhta's website. This discrepancy raises questions about the legitimacy of the viral stamp, as genuine stamps are meticulously designed to adhere to established standards. 

Screenshot of Barcode Lookup scan for EAN 4823027150765, showing a product labeled "Free, Unbreakable, Invincible." (Source: BarcodeLookup.com/Screenshot)

Furthermore, Ukrainian stamps that include barcodes on the right side of their design position the numerals or digits to face outward, away from the central image. However, on scrutinizing the viral stamp, we detected a change from this established pattern as it faces inward. 

Visual comparison between the inward-facing barcode on the viral stamp and the outward-facing barcode on an official Ukrainian stamp. (Source: X(Left)/Ukrposhta (Right)/Screenshots)

What did Ukrposhta say about the viral stamp?

Logically Facts contacted Ukrposhta, and in response, they directed us to the official postal issues for the year 2022, which can be accessed through this link. Plans for product releases can be found here, and comprehensive details about each issue are available in the Philatelic bulletins posted at this link. 

Ukrposhta responded firmly to the allegations about issuing a stamp featuring Hunko by stating, ''The specified stamp is not an official issue of Ukrposhta.''

The verdict

Ukrposhta, Ukraine's official national postal service, has not issued a stamp featuring Yaroslav Hunka in recognition of his appearance in the Canadian Parliament as a national hero. There is no credible evidence of such a stamp's existence on the Ukrposhta's official website, and the image circulating on social media includes a barcode that is associated with a different item entirely.