Ukraine suppresses Russian drones before sweeping Kupyansk forest lines — ISW

The printing press near Kyiv, which was preparing for a new school year, was struck by a Russian missile during the night. This plant was responsible for producing 1.3 million books, accounting for 10% of Ukraine's schoolbooks. Among the ruins, a charred page from an English language textbook remained: "My name is William, I'm from the UK. My grandmother lives in Nottingham. It's a beautiful city."

Russia has carried out attacks on printing presses and publishing houses across Ukraine, destroying 12 million books and damaging other symbols of Ukrainian history and culture. Local reports suggest that the Russian forces have destroyed one third of all books printed in Ukraine this year. At the Konvi publishing firm, commercial director Viktoria Haidai believes the attacks are deliberate.

In the past two months, some of the largest publishing houses have suffered losses, with logistics warehouses destroyed, causing significant damage to the industry.

Beyond new book production, the second-hand book market in Kyiv's Pochaina was also targeted, leaving hundreds of individual stalls and countless valuable books in ruins. Liliya Velyka, a 28-year-old book blogger, searched through the smoldering remnants, finding a wet copy of a science fiction novel. She emphasized that books are vital and losing them is akin to losing one's heart.

Museums, art galleries, film studios, libraries, and opera houses have been damaged as well. At Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the capital's medieval monastery and cultural heritage site, the golden domes of the Dormition Cathedral were struck by a drone attack. The roof was set ablaze, with repairs estimated to cost $11.2 million and take two years.

The site houses Ukraine's museum of books and printing, a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site. UNESCO's Director-General expressed deep sorrow over the damage, condemning all attacks against cultural property protected under international law.

The Russian embassy to the UK has denied intentionally targeting cultural heritage, blaming Ukraine's own government for damage. They also claimed that cultural sites were used to conceal military facilities, a claim the Kremlin has repeatedly denied. Despite these denials, Russia has repeatedly attacked over 1,900 pieces of Ukrainian heritage and more than 2,000 cultural institutions.

Digitization efforts are being made to protect art and literature and ensure children can still learn, despite the attacks on physical books. However, the attacks on the Ukrainian publishing sector are significant, requiring international support to remain viable.