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The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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Burned Ukrainian books at the site of a Russian missile attack on a publishing factory in Kharkiv, Ukraine on May 23, 2024.
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Ukrainian publishers stand strong despite enormous financial losses from Russian attacks

by Kate Tsurkan

The moment Svitlana Paveletska, co-founder of Knyholav, received the news that the mass attack on July 19 had wiped out her publishing house's warehouse in Kyiv, she felt an overwhelming wave of grief that was difficult to put into words. "Every book represents months, and sometimes years, of work by our entire publishing team, including the author, translator, editor, proofreader, designer, and printer," Paveletska told the Kyiv Independent. Books are not military targets, but according to th

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Wednesday, July 29

Ukraine war latest: General staff announces manpower allocation audit in first major reform under Drapatyi

Key developments on July 29: * Ukraine's General Staff announces audit of unit staffing, manpower allocation, as Drapatyi takes charge * Major oil refinery, Wildberries warehouse hit in Ukrainian strikes on Russia's Ryazan Oblast * Putin no longer holds upper hand in war, still won't budge on ceasefire, Zelensky says * Russian forces kill bread van driver in Kherson as attacks injure 30 across Ukraine over past day * Death toll from Russian strike on Kyiv arms exhibition rises to 12, Prose

President Zelensky needs to change the way he talks to Ukrainians

President Volodymyr Zelensky rarely misses a daily address. Nearly every evening, he sits behind the desk in his office, a wall of military chevrons behind him, and delivers a video monologue to the nation through his social media channels. What he rarely offers, however, is a dialogue with the Ukrainian people and answers to the most pressing questions. Zelensky has proved to be an effective communicator on the international stage, but domestic politics has long been his weak point. The presi

'Away from Moscow!' — The enduring cry of writer Mykola Khvylovy, the voice of a generation purged by Stalin

Editor's Note: This story is part of the "Hidden Canon"  – a special series celebrating Ukrainian classic literature and aiming to bring it to a wider international audience. The series is supported by the Ukrainian Institute. One late morning in May 1933, the 39-year-old Ukrainian author Mykola Khvylovy excused himself from the guests in his apartment, telling his fellow writers that he would fetch his new manuscript to read to them. Instead, upon entering his study, he shot himself in the he

Laura Loomer on her U-turn on Ukraine

The Kyiv Independent’s Jimmy Rushton speaks with MAGA influencer Laura Loomer during her visit to Kyiv about the dramatic shift in her stance on Ukraine after years of opposing U.S. military aid to the country, spreading Russian propaganda narratives, and cooperating with Russian state media outlets such as Russia Today (RT).

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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