In just a few days — on September 4, 2026 — a new banknote with a denomination of 2,000 hryvnia, bearing the portrait of the outstanding poet of the Sixtiers movement, Vasyl Stus, will enter circulation in Ukraine. In anticipation of this event, the National Bank of Ukraine has published a draft resolution of its Board of Directors proposing amendments to the Instruction on the Procedure for Organizing Banks' Cash Operations and Conducting Payment Operations by Payment Service Providers. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a publication by the NBU's press service. The initiative concerns, in particular, compliance with uniform requirements for the packaging of cash, which must be adapted to the new denomination.
What Changes in Banks' Cash Operations
The NBU's draft resolution "On Approving Amendments to the Instruction on the Procedure for Organizing Banks' Cash Operations and Conducting Payment Operations by Payment Service Providers in Ukraine" is aimed at standardizing cash-handling processes in light of the introduction of a new denomination. According to the document, banks and the NBU will be required to comply with uniform requirements for the packaging of cash, including banknotes with a face value of 2,000 hryvnia. A comparative table for the draft resolution can be viewed on the regulator's official website. The document's impact analysis emphasizes that its adoption will not require additional expenditures, financing, or additional time and administrative resources on the part of either banks or the NBU itself.
The Historical Symbolism of the Date: Why September 4
The choice of the date for introducing the new banknote into circulation — September 4 — is not accidental and carries deep historical significance. It was on September 4, 1965, during the premiere of the film "Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors" at the "Ukraina" cinema in Kyiv, that Vasyl Stus, Vyacheslav Chornovil, and Ivan Dziuba carried out the first open public protest in the history of the USSR against the political repression of Ukrainian intellectuals. This action became a turning point in the dissident movement. And on September 4, 1985, Vasyl Stus died in captivity — in the solitary confinement of the special-regime camp "Perm-36." Thus, the new banknote will enter circulation on the anniversary of two key dates in the poet's life and memory.
The Portrait on the Banknote and the Stus Family's Position
Previously, the head of the National Bank, Andriy Pyshnyy, personally met with Vasyl Stus's son — Dmytro Stus — to discuss the decision to dedicate the new banknote to the poet's memory. Dmytro Stus supported the NBU's initiative, noting its importance for preserving historical memory. The image of Vasyl Stus on the obverse of the banknote was the result of months of work by the regulator's experts and became part of the NBU's broader strategy to immortalize the memory of key figures in Ukrainian culture and history on the country's currency.
Impact on Inflation and ATM Operations
The NBU also addressed questions arising among the public in connection with the introduction of the new denomination. The regulator explained that the issuance of the 2,000-hryvnia banknote will not have a significant impact on inflationary processes in the economy, as it will be issued within the existing parameters of the money supply. In addition, the NBU provided clarification on whether ATMs will accept the new note: according to the regulator's assurances, the technical modernization of terminals will be carried out in advance, and by the time the banknote enters circulation, ATMs will be ready to handle the new denomination.
Public Discussion and Deadline for Submitting Comments
The NBU has opened a period of public discussion of the draft resolution: comments and suggestions from banks, payment service providers, and other interested parties are being accepted in the established manner. This is a standard procedure in regulatory practice that allows for the consideration of practical aspects of cash office operations — from packaging logistics to the software of cash terminals. Given that less than a week remains until September 4, the finalization of the regulatory document and its entry into force are expected within the next few days.
