Culture

The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

Ukrainian InstituteLearn more
Zhanna Kadyrova stands next to her "Origami Deer" sculpture in Prague, Czech Republic, on March 12, 2026
Culture

In the eye of Venice Biennale's storm, Ukraine takes center stage

by Valeria Radkevych

Even before stepping onto the grounds of the Venice Biennale, visitors are met with a striking image visible from behind the gates: a concrete deer, suspended midair from the crane of a parked truck, its form secured by vivid orange lifting straps that crisscross its body. From a distance, the installation resembles a temporary construction site more than a national pavilion. People stop beneath it, trying to understand whether the structure is still being assembled, or whether this unstable su

News Feed

Ukraine war latest: Another Russian warship in flames as drones strike Baltic Fleet base

Editor's note: Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent so far? Send it to letters@kyivindependent.com, and it may appear in our Letters section. Key developments on June 3: * Another Russian warship in flames as drones strike Baltic Fleet base * Fire, smoke greet Putin's Economic Forum as Ukraine strikes St. Petersburg oil terminal * NATO chief arrives in Kyiv day after mass Russian strike * Russian weapons plant in flames after Ukrainian attack in Tambov Oblast Ukr

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.
News Feed