Ukrposhta

While some Post Offices around the world flounder the Ukrainian Post Office: Ukrposhta (Ukrainian: Укрпошта) continues to deliver Letters, Packages, Money Orders, Government Pensions, etc. even as Russia invades, occupies, bombs and shoots its way around Ukraine.

(A woman walks into a damaged but still working post office in Bashtanka on July 14.)

Before the Russian War in Ukraine Ukrposhta had: 27 Regional administrative directories; 12, 000 Post offices (including 9 000 in rural areas); 73 000 Employees (Postmen – 32.0; Operators −13.7; Sorters – 2.6)

200.9 million of Postal items annual processing and delivery, including: 15.4 million Insured Items; 11.1 million Orders; 74.0 million Pensions delivered; Direct fetching to 15 million Subscriber Mailboxes; Subscription Distribution: 500.7 million copies a year; Transporting 31 tons annually; total vehicles mileage covering 72 Million km (44 Million Miles.)

History: Ukrposhta was created from the Soviet Post Office after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.  After the Russian Invasion and Occupation of Crimea and eastern Ukraine in March 2014 Ukrposhta was forced, by Russia, out of those Russian-Occupied Territories.

Dealing with Ukrposhta: I have had direct dealings with Ukrposhta both while in Ukraine and sending/receiving things to/from Ukraine.

When my Mom, Sister and I were in Kyiv, Ukraine in November 2007 I went to the Post Office by the apartment we rented and had some very helpful Postal Workers help me even though I didn’t speak Ukrainian, they didn’t speak English we used Russian. I bought Post Cards and Stamps, wrote them out and mailed them to Family and Friends in the US, Germany and other places. The Post Cards to Germany took 5 days to get there and the Post Cards to the US took 10 days.

I have also had things sent to and delivered from Ukraine. Even with the War I had a Package shipped from Kyiv to the US and it took 2 weeks to get to me.

(Postal workers bring pension checks, letters and packages to a village in the Mykolaiv region on July 15.)

Dealing with Russian Post Office: I should also mention I have used the Russian Post Office many times in the past too – both while in Russia and sending/receiving things to/from Russia. I never had good service from any of the Post Offices I went to in Yaroslavl, Moscow or Saint Petersburg.

The 1^st time I studied in Russia a Friend in Germany sent me an Easter package filled with Chocolates and Candies. When it arrived – after Easter – most of the good Treats had been stolen out of it. I tried to complain to the Russian Post Office and they didn’t care. I also tried to have my Russian Friend help me (since she spoke Russian and English and my Russian wasn’t fluent at the time) but she shrugged it off and said I could buy myself Easter Candy in Russia since Russian Orthodox Easter was 2 weeks after Catholic Easter.

 The 2^nd time I studied in Russia I arrived in June and was leaving in December. My Mom sent my Winter Coat and Clothes to me the day after I arrived in Yaroslavl and sent them International Priority Mail meaning they were supposed to have arrived by July. I didn’t get them until 1 ½ weeks before I went back to the US and since Winter comes early in Russia I had to go to the Stores and Markets to buy Winter Clothes including a Coat.

I’ve also been overcharged when buying stamps at the Russian Post Offices. When paying for postage to send a Letter or a Package from Yaroslavl, Russia to Krasnodar, Russia I kept getting charged the International Postage Rate (ie. the price of mailing a Letter or Package from the United States to Russia) and when I complained the Russian Postal Employees would just shrug and say that I had to pay the International Rate because I was a Foreigner – even though my Letter or Package never left Russia.

I’ve had similar horrible experiences mailing things to Friends throughout Russia. The package is either destroyed, stolen or never arrives. Letters are delivered opened and take a long time to arrive (1 month from the US.)

(Postal worker Alona Osukhovska helps a woman sign for her pension check.)

Back to Ukrposhta: Since Russia’s War in Ukraine began in February 2022 5 of the 73,000 Postal Employees have been killed and 14 injured. 50 Ukrainian Post Offices have been destroyed and 480 have been damaged.

Ukrainian Postal Employees continue to be the lifeline for Ordinary Ukrainians: delivering Food Packages, Aid and Government Pensions to those who are unable to flee the fighting (ie the Disabled and the Elderly.)

Ukrposhta has also helped raise Money needed to pay for Weapons and Medical Supplies to defeat the Russians by making Patriotic and cool Stamps (like the one where the Ukrainians destroyed the Russian Warship.)