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The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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'Hemingway Knows Nothing': Ukraine's writers are redefining literature of war
Culture

'Hemingway Knows Nothing': Ukraine's writers are redefining literature of war

by Kate Tsurkan

When war, loss, and unimaginable suffering become routine, a book can offer a kind of lifeline — especially one by a writer who has lived through such an ordeal and tried to make sense of it. At the start of Russia’s full-scale war, some Ukrainians speculated if they’d see the rise of their own Ernest Hemingway: a writer whose books would not only capture the experience of a generation but come to define it. Yet it soon became clear that the old paradigms of war literature no longer spoke to t

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Who has the upper hand in Ukraine’s evolving drone war?

In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with “Schweiger,” a Ukrainian drone operator from the Signum UAV Battalion of Ukraine's 59th Separate Assault Brigade – one of the country's pioneering FPV drone units.

Investing in Ukraine's infrastructure, mid-war: An interview with Amber Infrastructure

As Russian strikes continue to batter Ukraine's power grid, railways, ports, and factories, investing in the country's infrastructure might seem like an odd bet. But regardless of the circumstances on the ground, there's always a need for infrastructure, Dominykas Tuckus, Ukraine lead and managing director at Amber Infrastructure, tells the Kyiv Independent in an interview. "The only question is what kind of infrastructure you can build under these circumstances," he says. London-headquartere

Wind turbines are seen at the Orivska Wind Farm near Oriv, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine, on May 25, 2026.

About Culture

Our reporting on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the latest news on culture in Eastern Europe.

Ukrainian culture
Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.
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