Russia tries to claim Melitopol Cherry: Ukraine appeals to UN agency

The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported this development.

On July 12, the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) announced the registration of the name Melitopol Cherry on its website. They claimed it was the first registered regional brand from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Rospatent also invited representatives from the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions to register their brands and other intellectual property to promote their goods and services, promising "all necessary assistance."

This announcement coincided with the WIPO General Assembly in Geneva. However, this isn't Russia's first attempt to appropriate Ukraine's intellectual property. Crimean wines like Balaklava, Magarach, and Meganom, which are also Ukrainian geographical indications, have been illegally registered in Russia.

According to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the geographical indication Melitopol Cherry was established in July 2020. The recognized origin of the Melitopol Cherry is Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

Deputy Minister of Economy Vitaliy Kindrativ said the international community will never recognize the theft of Melitopol Cherry.

"It’s hard to use 'Russia' and 'intellectual property' in the same sentence because Moscow has never shown any respect for others' rights, property, or achievements," he added.

Olena Orliuk, the director of the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations, noted this is another crime by a terrorist country against Ukrainians' national property.

"Russia is killing our children, erasing our cities, and destroying our identity. The fact that Rospatent stole the Ukrainian geographical indication shows Moscow's wretchedness. Without their heritage, they steal and claim others' achievements," Orliuk stressed.

For reference, a geographical indication (GI) identifies a product from a certain location and confirms its high quality. Registering a GI involves several permitting procedures to ensure the product's uniqueness and reputation.

• Additionally, Russia at the festival in France "appropriated" Parajanov's film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, showing it as Fiery Horses under "Russian culture."