World · Europe · 1 hr ago
Russian attacks destroy millions of books and damage Ukraine’s publishing industry
Russian attacks have destroyed book warehouses, printing sites and distribution centres across Ukraine.
In Kharkiv, a drone strike hit the Ranok publishing house’s warehouse on August 1, destroying eight million books.
Ranok publishes children’s and school books, and its warehouse prepared and sent books to schools across the country.
A separate attack damaged Kyiv’s Petriwka book market and a nearby distribution centre.
Ukraine’s culture ministry estimates that attacks in recent weeks destroyed 13 million books, causing about 26 million Swiss francs in damage.
The losses threaten publishers’ ability to fund new books, pay staff and keep Ukrainian-language publishing going.
Publishers and officials say this work matters to Ukrainian culture and identity, and they hope public support will help the industry continue through a difficult winter.
Russian attacks destroyed an estimated 13 million books in Ukraine in recent weeks, according to the country’s Culture Ministry.
A strike on a publishing warehouse in Kharkiv destroyed eight million books.
The attacks have damaged printing, storage and distribution sites, including a book market and distribution centre in Kyiv.
The Culture Ministry estimates the economic damage at about 26 million Swiss francs.
Ukrainian publishing figures say the damage threatens the country’s culture and resistance.
- Who
- Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian publishing and book-distribution sites.
- What
- The attacks destroyed an estimated 13 million books and damaged the publishing industry.
- When
- In recent weeks, including strikes in August. The year is not stated for the August attacks.
- Where
- Across Ukraine, including Kharkiv and Kyiv.
- Why
- A Ukrainian publisher said Russia was seeking to destroy what builds Ukrainian culture. Russia’s reasons are not stated in the article.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
We are at the place where almost all our books were.
Imagine any industry losing at least a third of itself.
I think this is one of the strategic lines of the Russians: to destroy everything that builds Ukrainian culture, and Ukrainian culture essentially builds our resistance.
The biggest challenge now will be to get through this difficult winter that we expect, perhaps without electricity, perhaps with many rocket attacks. To hold on and continue publishing books.
Two Russian combat drones struck Ranok’s warehouse in Kharkiv while about 50 employees were working there.
A Russian missile attack destroyed Kyiv’s oldest and largest book market, Petriwka, and almost completely destroyed a nearby book-distribution centre.
Russian attacks hit printing houses, depots and warehouses across Ukraine.
- Books destroyed
- An estimated 13 million
- Ranok warehouse strike
- 8 million books destroyed
- Estimated economic damage
- About 26 million Swiss francs
- Employees at the warehouse
- About 50
- Locations mentioned
- Kharkiv and Kyiv
Sources
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