The company plans to collect more than 1 million euros from the sale of stamps with the legendary demining dog for the purchase of a remote-controlled mechanized demining machine and help to animal shelters. The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held with the participation of Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the President of Ukraine and the first graders of the Makarenko Art School No. 1 of Irpin.

On September 1 new stamps appeared on the list of Ukrainian postage stamps, featuring the explosive-sniffing dog Patron. The postage issue is dedicated to the rescue heroes, who, together with their four-legged helpers, clear the liberated territories: towns, villages, fields, forests, beaches. It is realized in partnership with the State Service of Ukraine for Emergencies.

The stamp sheet contains 8 stamps different in subject with the image of the dog Patron, who during the war with Russia helped rescuers to find dozens of explosive devices in Chernihiv region. The SES mascot was so liked by Ukrainians that they gave him second place in the popular vote on the subject of the new stamp issue.

"Ukrainian postage stamps have helped raise funds to help the AFU more than once since the beginning of the war. We have examples of successful auctions, when for a stamp sheet we managed to collect several million hryvnias, which went to the needs of the military. This time we decided to raise funds for the purchase of a vehicle that will make the lives of our rescuers safer, because the operator will be able to control the deminers at a safe distance and help to demine the territories vacated by the AFU faster. Thanks to charity stamps, together we can raise funds for things we all need right now. Buy a "Patron Dog" stamp sheet, add to your collection and help our heroes-rescuers", - said Igor Smelyansky, General Director of Ukrposhta.

The author of the postal issue was designer-illustrator Oleksander Nikityuk, participant of the Ukrposhta competition for the best design of the postage stamp "Good evening, we are from Ukraine! The author's task was not only to illustrate the doggy itself, but also to draw public attention to the problems of mined areas. So postage stamps appeared with the image of Patron the dog in the field, which, contrary to danger, is cultivated by Ukrainian farmers; in a residential area, where residents must return after the AFU liberated the city from the occupiers; on the playground, since statistics show that it is children who suffer most from mines.

"I draw all my life anywhere: at the school desk in Varash (Rivne region), in the barracks (Poltava and Kyiv), in the student dormitory (Odesa Polytechnic National University and I. I. Mechnikov Odesa National University), I have always drawn. When the war began, I realized that drawing is a wonderful therapy, which helps distract, focus my energy on creating something new. By posting my war illustrations on social media, I felt a strong response from people who felt the same way I did. My artwork was actively being reposted. Even the Orcs (here: Russian invaders) were trying to rework them in their own way, but they were getting awkward at it. It took almost a month to work on the stamp sheet; it was an interesting and urgent task. I am very grateful to Ukrposhta that among thousands of works they noticed mine," says Oleksander Nikityuk.

The postal issue of Patron Dog is available in the post offices of cities and villages of Ukraine. Part of the stamps will go to the rural offices of front-line branches of Ukrposhta, so that the military have the opportunity to buy a stamp in the nearest village. Traditionally, the new postal issue of Ukrposhta will also be available online at the official online stores of Ukrposhta at Prom,, Kasta, Rozetka, eBay and Amazon.

There will also be merch for the postal issue: t-shirts, hoodies, magnets, badges, a backpack for shoes, stickers, and a cup with a picture of Patron's dog. All products can be purchased both online and at post offices.

The cost of each postage stamp is 31 UAH, of which the nominal value is F (23 UAH) and the charitable donation is marked on each stamp with a "+" and amounts to 8 UAH. Every Ukrainian, by purchasing a charitable postage stamp, automatically becomes a participant of the charitable donation for the purchase of an Armtrac 400 demining machine, which can demine up to 2,400 sq. m. per hour. The mechanized demining machine is the largest and most powerful in the product line, which can be operated by the operator from a safe distance of up to 800 meters or from an armored cabin. In addition, each brand purchased is also an aid to animal shelters. All funds raised will be sent through the fundraising platform UNITED24 for the purchase of the Armtrac 400 demining machine. The remaining funds will go to animal shelters through the KSE Foundation.

The stamp sheet with 8 stamps printed on self-adhesive paper has a circulation of 1 million copies, so a total of 8 million stamps have been issued. When different stamps are presented in a sheet, according to the rules of philately, the stamps are sold only in sheet format. Also First Day Cover envelopes are issued, C6 and DL art envelopes, and postcard.

There are restrictions on the sale of stamps and envelopes: no more than 5 sheets, 5 leaflets, 5 art envelopes per order can be purchased in branches and online. Special sets can be purchased only on eBay and Amazon and postal marketplace of Ukrposhta in the amount of no more than two sets per order.

First Day of Issue performed by postmark "The first day" traditionally took place in Kiev, first day of issue ceremonies - in the regions of Ukraine. Postmarks of Crimea, Sevastopol and Kherson will work in the Kyiv main post office, that of Lugansk region - in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region.

As previously reported, a popular vote on the theme of the next postage stamp, which was attended by half a million Ukrainians, was held in May. Then Ukrainians gave the most votes for the theme "Good evening, we are from Ukraine", and the second theme by the number of votes was "Patron Dog". In total, Ukrposhta issues the sixth postage stamp of wartime.

Please be noted that for those, who want to have in their collection postal issues of Ukrposhta, but have no time to keep track of announcements concerning the introduction of stamps in circulation and to buy them in time in the branches or online until midnight September 1 there is a possibility to buy philatelic online subscriptions for 5 months. In addition to the subscription fee, the price of the August postage is already included, and in the "Standard+" package, the cost of the exclusive stockbook is also included.