The commemorative banknote “We Remember! We Will Not Forgive!” with a face value of 20 hryvnias was issued by the National Bank of Ukraine and released into circulation on 23 February 2023 in a limited edition.
It is dedicated to the repulsion of Russia’s full-scale invasion and commemorates the resilience, indomitability, spiritual strength, and heroism of the Ukrainian people. The design was created by Merited Artist of Ukraine Volodymyr Taran. Printed on watermarked paper, rectangular in format, the note features a vertical layout in blue-yellow color tones, enhanced with red, light green, and brown-gray shades. It incorporates standard protective elements of Ukrainian banknotes, with an additional combined optically variable effect visible when the note is tilted.
On the obverse depicted three Ukrainian soldiers raising the State Flag of Ukraine (“Ukrainian Warriors Raising the Flag” by photographer Oleksandr Smirnov) against the background of a fragment of the map of Ukraine and the flags of allied nations (United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and EU countries). Above the composition, texts in Ukrainian and English state: “On February 24, 2022, the full-scale invasion by the Russian army marked a new stage of armed aggression against Ukraine. The people’s war for independence and sovereignty of Ukraine has continued since 2014. This is also a civilizational choice: Ukraine defends its belonging to European civilization and, at the same time, the fundamental values, rights, and freedoms that underpin the Western world.”
Between the texts is the emblem of the Ukrainian National Republic (a stylized laurel wreath with a trident inside); flanking it are the small state coats of arms of Ukraine, with the inscription “UKRAINE” to the left. Beneath the wreath is a quote from Taras Shevchenko: “And on the renewed earth there will be no enemy…”, along with a polymer strip featuring the emblem of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the motto “Glory to Ukraine, Glory to the Heroes.” On the blue band is the logo of the National Bank of Ukraine, and on the yellow — the signature of Governor Andriy Pyshny. At the bottom left appears the numeric denomination; to the right, the vertical inscription “Twenty Hryvnias.” The lower border depicts a stylized steppe landscape with poppies — a reminder of the fallen defenders of Ukraine.
On the reverse are depicted hands bounded behind the back, set against fabric marked with a bullet hole forming the shape of a poppy (design by Serhii Mishakin), symbolizing the physical suffering and spiritual ordeal of Ukrainians under occupation. On either side are stylized wings formed of candle flames. Above, against the silhouettes of ruined buildings, is a crown of thorns — a symbol of martyrdom. To the right is a protective element combining viburnum berries with an anti-tank obstacle. Below the crown of thorns is the inscription: “We Remember! We Will Not Forgive! Never!” Along the left side is the vertical denomination “Twenty Hryvnias.” The serial number runs along the right and upper edge: two-letter prefix “ZS” and a seven-digit number (e.g., 0245513). At the bottom, stylized poppies evoke bloodstains from bullets, with the denomination “20” in the center and the year of issue “2023” to the right.