Russian Font Found on Banknote Featuring Ukrainian Poet Stus; NBU to Redesign the Bill.

The Death of Vasyl Stus and Its Aftermath

According to Espreso.tv: Ukrainian poet Vasyl Stus passed away in September 1985 while incarcerated in the Perm labor camps. His death followed a dry hunger strike, which was likely triggered by beatings and his transfer to solitary confinement. Today, Stus’s portrait is set to appear on a new Ukrainian banknote, but controversy has erupted over the use of typefaces with Russian origins.

At the time of Stus’s death, Mikhail Gorbachev served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This period marked the introduction of Perestroika, democratization, and glasnost in the USSR. Yet, despite these shifts, issues surrounding the use of fonts have persisted.

Font Controversy and Cultural Identity

In 2016, Adobe released an official Cyrillic version of the Bickham Script font. However, the new Ukrainian banknote mistakenly features the Russian variant of this typeface, sparking public outrage. This problem first emerged seven years ago with the introduction of the 1,000-hryvnia note, which also employed fonts of Russian origin.

National Bank of Ukraine Governor Andriy Pyshnyy addressed the issue, stating:

“The banknote will be reissued and printed using the official version of the font.” — Andriy Pyshnyy

This statement signals the NBU’s commitment to aligning the new bill with Ukrainian standards and avoiding typefaces tied to Russia. Consequently, the font debate remains a pressing matter in discussions of national identity and culture.

The controversy surrounding the banknote bearing Vasyl Stus’s image underscores the significance of cultural autonomy and national identity in Ukraine, particularly given the country’s long history of political repression. Resolving the issue of Russian-origin fonts could serve as a symbolic step toward strengthening Ukrainian cultural heritage. It also reflects a broader trend of reexamining and reinterpreting history, a crucial element in shaping modern Ukrainian society.