Ukraine. New Commemorative Crown Coin Honours the Foreign Intelligence Service

Specifically, the Foreign Intelligence Service is the agency that ensures the extraction of information for making strategic decisions in foreign policy, economic, military-technical, scientific-technical, environmental and cyber-security spheres. Their actions contribute to the strengthening of national security and sovereignty of the Ukrainian state. On the occasion of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine Day, which is celebrated on the 24th January, an example of the new commemorative coin was presented by the Chairman of the National Bank of Ukraine and the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

Such patriotic symbols dedicated to foreign and domestic intelligence are extremely necessary for Ukrainian society today to consolidate around a common goal - the victory over Russian aggression. The achievements of Ukrainian intelligence officers who together with other units of the defence forces continue to fulfil their mission with honour and dignity in the difficult conditions of the current war against the Russian antagonist. Representatives of the modern Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine are true professionals, thanks to whom intelligence information is obtained, and necessary for making strategic state decisions, especially in matters of protecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and the safety of Ukrainian citizens.

The coins are produced by the Mint of Ukraine at their facilities in Kyiv on behalf of the National Bank of Ukraine. The concept design is the work of Yuriy Ladny with additional input by Serhiy Belyaev and Tetyana Baluta. The obverse of the coin depicts a cross in the center, which is the main element of the new symbols and departmental incentive awards of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. In the centre of the cross is a trident, representing the historical Princely State of Volodymyr the Great, framed by the motto of the service in Latin OMNIA VINCIT VERITAS (Truth Conquers All). The contours of the map with continents around the centre symbolise the spatial scope of the service's intelligence activities. Along the rim and in a complete circle are the words of the name of the agency which are shown in Morse code. Below the agency’s cross is the text СЛУЖБА ЗОВНІШНЬОЇРОЗВІДКИ УКРАЇНИ (Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine) placed within the border of Morse code. The denomination of 5 ₴ is shown just to the lower left of the cross and the additional text УКРАЇНИ (Ukraine) is shown on the lower right.The reverse of the coin features a stylised trident centred, surrounded by encrypted binary numbers of the words of one of the famous Ukrainian political figures. The code used for encoding is the Ukrainian Insurgent Army code and a code word chosen by the service.

 Available from the 28th January, each coin is encapsulated and presented in a coin-card that accommodates the coin capsule. For additional information for this and other coins offered by the National Bank, please visit their e-webshop.

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine has announced a competition among decryption specialists who, within a certain period of time, may be able to decrypt the coded message. The text of the decrypted message will be published in the description of the coin six months after its introduction into circulation. The terms, terms of the competition and its results can be found on the official website of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine through this weblink. (In Ukrainian only)