Postage Issue: Cherry Dumplings

We are pleased to announce a new issue of the “National Dishes” series, dedicated to an iconic Ukrainian dish — cherrу dumplings (varenyky in Ukrainian)

A special “First Day” cancellation, also featuring dumplings, will take place on April 10, 2026, in Kyiv; postal code 01001.

Spring is just beginning, cherry blossom is on its way, but our thoughts are already turning to the harvest and to summer desserts. Until then, you can enjoy sour cherry dumplings in a different way — as a postal mark on your letter or a postage card.

In Ukraine, dumplings (varenyky) are also known as pyrohy, and Polish dish pierogi ruskie actually means Ukrainian dumplings, while “Ruskie” refers to the historic region Red Ruthenia — the commonly used in Poland toponym of Ukrainian lands.

Dumplings themselves belong to a culinary lineage of dishes originated in Asia and made of boiled or fried dough with filling: think of Chinese jiaozi and baozi, Georgian khinkali and Turkish Dyush-vara and so on, which had spread westward along the Silk Road, eventually becoming part of many national cuisines, including Ukrainian.

Anyway, sour cherry dumplings are a genuinely Ukrainian specialty — sour cherry trees grow in Ukraine better than anywhere in the world. Sour cherry (Latin Prunus cerasus), as well as wheat by the way, traces its origins to regions of modern-day Iran and Turkey, but it was Ukraine where both sour cherry and wheat found perfect growing conditions and became deeply rooted in both agriculture and culture.

The image of a cherry orchard by a whitewashed house is a lasting symbol of Ukrainian idyllic life, and sour cherry dumplings have become one of the country’s most recognizable traditional dishes.

Order the “Cherry Dumplings” stamp on the Ukrposhta Market website.

On April 10, 2026, a new Ukrainian postage stamp titled Cherrу Dumplings will be officially issued and valid for postal use nationwide.

Postage stamp № 2229 “Cherry Dumplings”.

Stamp format – 40.5 × 30 mm. Sheet format – 156 × 139 mm

Denomination – U, corresponding to the tariff for sending a postcard and a domestic standard letter without declared value weighing up to 50 g.

Print run of the stamp – 630,000 copies.

Print run of the First Day Cover – 15,000; cards – 15,000; folders – 350 copies.

Printing method – offset.

The stamp was printed at PC “Ukraina”.

Artist of the stamp, First Day Cover, card, and folder – Nataliia Kokhal.

First Day cancellation artist — Oksana Shuklinova.