Russian strikes destroy 10m Ukrainian books, publishers appeal for support
Following Russian attacks in July and August that destroyed roughly 10 million books, the Ukrainian Book Institute is calling on international publishers to help an industry at risk of collapse.
The Ukrainian Book Institute has appealed to the international publishing community for support after Russian attacks in July and early August destroyed about 10 million books and a significant portion of the country's book production capacity.
The institute said strikes on publishing, printing and warehouse facilities have pushed several companies toward financial collapse. A major attack on 1 August hit warehouses belonging to the RNK-Ranok publishing group in Kharkiv, destroying approximately 8 million books. This followed July attacks in Kyiv that destroyed more than 1.5 million books. Combined, the recent strikes wiped out roughly 30% of the volume of books Ukraine produces annually.
The RNK-Ranok logistics centre, which stores titles for the company's many imprints, also serves as the distribution hub for KnyhoLand, a national bookselling chain operating 51 stores and several websites. Alongside the 8 million books lost, 600,000 school textbooks were also destroyed. Preliminary estimates put total losses at nearly 1 billion hryvnias, about £16.5m.
"At this stage, we face the risk of the collapse of the entire book ecosystem," said Oleksandra Koval, director of the Ukrainian Book Institute. The institute is seeking donations for Ukrainian publishers and urging the global publishing community to collaborate with Ukrainian counterparts and raise awareness of Russian attacks on Ukrainian culture.
On 16 August, a Russian attack on Kyiv sparked a fire at the Pochaina book market, destroying several rows of stalls, books and vendor property. Founded in 1997, Pochaina was once among Ukraine's largest book markets, hosting hundreds of stalls and titles from more than 120 publishers.
The institute described the book industry as being of "strategic importance" to Ukraine, helping preserve and promote its culture and giving the country a voice at home and abroad. Ukraine's government is developing support programmes for affected publishers and printers, including equipment-restoration grants and property damage compensation, though the institute noted state aid cannot fully cover the losses.
Olena Odynoka, the institute's deputy director for international cooperation, said Ukrainian publishing carries a special mission amid Russia's ongoing attempts to erase Ukrainian identity, culture and history, framing support for publishers as defending Ukraine's right to speak in its own voice. The institute also called for an end to cooperation with Russian publishers and literary agencies.
