Ukraine's border guards have been denied the ability to trademark the anti-Russian wartime slogan, 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself,' by an EU court ruling on Wednesday. The slogan originated as a defiant response from Ukrainian defenders to a Russian warship's call for surrender during the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The General Court of the European Union recognized that the phrase quickly evolved into a symbol of Ukraine's resistance against Russian aggression. It was widely embraced in a political context to garner support for Ukraine, as highlighted in a press release from the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Notably, the memorable words were the final radio communication from Ukrainian soldiers stationed on Snake Island, a rocky outpost in the Black Sea. The phrase swiftly became an emblem of Ukrainian defiance and was extensively shared across various mediums, from T-shirts to postage stamps and road signs.
The State Border Guard of Ukraine had sought to trademark the slogan for commercial purposes, including the sale of goods and provision of services in publishing, education, entertainment, and sports. However, the court determined that consumers would interpret the trademark as a political statement rather than an indication of commercial origin, rendering it unsuitable for trademark protection.
In a significant development, Ukraine successfully regained control of Snake Island in June 2022, a strategically important location. Ukrainian soldiers who had been captured on the island were later exchanged for Russian prisoners in January of the following year.
