The National Bank of Ukraine (the NBU) has issued into circulation a commemorative coin entitled "The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine." This coin celebrates a leading component of Ukraine’s security and defense forces, an agency that provides information for strategic decision-making in the foreign policy, economic, military, scientific, technical, information, environmental and cybersecurity spheres, contributing to the strengthening of national security and the sovereignty of the Ukrainian state.
The new commemorative coin was presented by the Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Andriy Pyshnyy and the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Oleh Ivashchenko, on the occasion of the Day of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence, which is celebrated on 24 January.
"Representatives of the modern Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (FISU) are true professionals who obtain intelligence information that is necessary for making strategic state decisions, especially in matters of protecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine," said Pyshnyy. "And although the successes and achievements of foreign intelligence remain largely unknown, we understand your extremely important role in protecting Ukraine from external threats. Therefore, our new coin is dedicated to the invincibility, sharp minds, and strength of spirit of the heroes who make up the FISU’s ranks."
"Such patriotic symbols, like this commemorative coin dedicated to foreign intelligence, are extremely necessary in order for Ukrainian society today to consolidate around a common goal – our victory," said Ivashchenko. "This commemorative coin is a sign of honor and recognition of the achievements of Ukrainian reconnaissance personnel, who, together with other units of the defense forces, continue to fulfill their mission with honor and dignity in the difficult conditions of the war with the russian aggressor. The coin symbolizes the contribution of foreign intelligence officers to safeguarding the national security and sovereignty of Ukraine, and testifies to the high responsibility and professionalism of intelligence officers, whose work remains non-public."
Coin Design
The center of the obverse of the coin features a cross, which is the main element of the new symbols and departmental awards of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine. In the center of the cross is the trident (a state symbol used by Kyiv Rus Prince Volodymyr the Great), framed by the service’s motto in Latin: OMNIA VINCIT VERITAS (Truth Conquers All Things). The outlines of the continents of the globe around the center symbolize the spatial scope of the service’s intelligence activities. Around the perimeter of the coin’s circle, the first three words of the name of the agency are encrypted in Morse code. These words are duplicated in the lower part of the coin: СЛУЖБА ЗОВНІШНЬОЇ РОЗВІДКИ УКРАЇНИ (Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine).
The reverse shows a stylized trident, around which the words of a well-known Ukrainian political figure are encrypted in numbers. The encryption was based on the code of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and a code word chosen by the FISU.
The FISU has announced a competition among decryption specialists. Within a certain period of time, they will be able to decipher the encoded message. The text of the decrypted message will be published in the description of the coin six months after the date of its introduction into circulation. The terms and conditions of the competition and its results will be available on the FISU’s official website.
Idea invented by Yurii Ladnyi. Designer – Serhii Bieliaiev. Design adapted by Tetiana Baluta.
Sales of the new coin
This coin was issued into circulation on 23 January 2025. It has a face value of 5 hryvnias, and is made of nickel silver. It has a mintage of 75,000 units and is souvenir packaged.
This coin will be sold through the NBU’s online numismatic store from 28 January 2025, as well as through distributing banks (the list of these banks can be found on the NBU’s official website). You can find more details about the starting date of sales on the official website of the NBU’s online numismatic store and on the official websites of the distributing banks.