Ukrainian Publishers Seek Support After Russian Attacks Destroy Millions of Books

The Ukrainian book industry is facing a crisis after Russian attacks in July and early August destroyed approximately 10m books. The Ukrainian Book Institute has appealed to the international publishing community for support, stating that the attacks have left some companies at risk of financial collapse.

## Impact of the Attacks The recent attacks have had a devastating impact on Ukraine's book production capacity, with around 30% of the annual volume of books produced in the country being destroyed. A major attack on 1 August hit warehouses belonging to the RNK-Ranok publishing group in Kharkiv, resulting in the destruction of approximately 8m books. This was followed by the loss of over 1.5m books in July attacks in Kyiv.

## Book Losses and Economic Impact The total loss from the attacks has been estimated at almost 1bn hryvnias (£16.5m). In addition to the 8m books lost, a further 600,000 school textbooks were destroyed. The RNK-Ranok logistics centre, which stores books for the company's many imprints, is also the distribution centre for the national bookselling chain KnyhoLand, which runs 51 shops and several websites.

## Call for Support The Ukrainian Book Institute is asking for donations to support Ukrainian publishers and is calling on the international publishing community to work with Ukrainian publishers and raise awareness about Russian attacks on Ukrainian culture. According to Oleksandra Koval, director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, the current situation poses a risk to the collapse of the entire book ecosystem. The institute believes that supporting Ukrainian publishers is crucial to preserving the country's cultural heritage and defending its right to speak in its own voice.

## Preservation of Cultural Heritage The Ukrainian government is developing support programmes for affected publishers and printing companies, including grants to restore equipment and compensation for property damage. However, the institute notes that publishers' losses cannot be fully covered by state assistance. Olena Odynoka, deputy director for international cooperation of the Ukrainian Book Institute, emphasized that supporting Ukrainian publishers is not just about preserving an industry, but also about defending Ukraine's right to shape its own narrative in the world. The institute has also called for an end to cooperation with Russian publishers and literary agencies, citing the need for solidarity with Ukrainian publishers to preserve cultural heritage that Russia is deliberately trying to destroy.