Russia strikes Kharkiv book warehouse, destroying supplies
A Russian attack destroyed a book warehouse in Kharkiv used by publisher Ranok and bookstore chain KnyhoLend, causing a fire that consumed textbooks and other publishers' books. Online orders paused temporarily.
Russian forces launched a strike on a warehouse in Kharkiv that served as a storage and distribution hub for the Ranok publishing house and the KnyhoLend bookstore chain. The attack triggered a fire, which destroyed textbooks published by Ranok, according to Viktor Kruhlov, the company's general director. The facility also housed books from several other publishing imprints under the RNK-Ranok group, including Fabula, Zhorzh, Shche Odnu Storinku, Readberry, Korali Books, and Varvar, as reported by the book media outlet Chytomo.
Following the strike, KnyhoLend temporarily suspended online order processing because the warehouse was used to store books and dispatch web purchases. The chain's physical retail locations remain operational, according to the company's director, Ihor Zarudko, who shared updates on social media.
The incident adds to the widespread damage inflicted on Ukrainian infrastructure and cultural assets during the war. In a broader context, Ukraine's book sector had shown resilience: in 2025, the country registered 117 new companies and sole proprietorships focused on book publishing, marking the highest annual figure in five years, according to available data. The destruction of this warehouse highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the industry.
