Meet Zakon: Ukraine creates its own national font to replace Russian in state documents

For over three centuries, Ukrainian lettering has been shaped by Russian norms following Peter the Great's 1708 script reform. The national font, Zakon, unveiled on October 29, 2026, aims to break this pattern and decolonize Ukraine's state acts and awards. Drawing inspiration from Ukrainian artists like Heorhii Narbut, Zakon replaces Russian-origin fonts such as Izhitsa, Petersburg, and others frequently seen on honor certificates, letters of thanks, diplomas, battle flags, and signs.

This move is part of a broader effort to bolster national culture amidst the ongoing Russian invasion. Ruslan Stefanchuk, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, presented Zakon on October 29, nine months after parliament adopted a resolution calling for a national typeface. The Ministry of Culture, backed by Work.ua and its co-owner Artur Mikhno, developed the font in beta testing.

The Ministry emphasizes that Zakon's letters, especially those written in Ukrainian, signify the state's identity. Stefanchuk notes, "Decolonization should also concern how Ukraine presents itself." Zakon is available in three versions: Zakon Text, Zakon Decor, and Zakon Letterpress, the latter two with closed licenses. The font, described as a "classic Ukrainian antiqua," combines elements from six Ukrainian graphic artists' lettering.