Ukraine unveils national typeface to replace Russian fonts in official documents
Ukraine has unveiled a new national typeface called Zakon, designed to replace Russian-origin fonts in official government communications as part of the country's broader efforts to reclaim its cultural identity.
The project was presented on October 29 by Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna and Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.
Ukrainian government certificates, diplomas, awards and official plaques have previously used a Russian typeface called Izhitsa, developed by a studio that supports the Russian military, according to Ukrainian officials.
- Presentation of the Zakon fontFacebook / Ruslan Stefanchuk
- Presentation of the Zakon fontFacebook / Ruslan Stefanchuk
The new Ukrainian typeface comes in three versions: Zakon Text for administrative documents, Zakon Decor for ceremonial inscriptions, and Zakon Letterpress for original legislative and regulatory documents.
Its design draws on the work of prominent Ukrainian graphic artists, including Heorhii Narbut, Vasyl Krychevskyi and Yakiv Hnizdovskyi.
"Statehood is reflected not only in laws and decisions, but also in the appearance of our official documents and state symbols," the Culture Ministry said.
"Decolonization must also extend to how Ukraine presents itself."
The typeface was developed by designers Oleksii Chekal, Hennadii Zarechniuk, Dmytro Rastvortsev and Andrii Shevchenko, with Taras Ishchyk leading the project.
Zakon is still undergoing testing and will be introduced gradually. Its Zakon Text version is already available for free public use.
The Culture Ministry has invited users to test the typeface and provide feedback through its official website.
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