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: Russia unleashes large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine, leaving 22 dead, 130 injured

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 2: * Kyiv reels after Russia unleashes massive missile, drone attack on Ukraine, killing at least 22 * Ukraine strikes Russia's Ilsky oil refinery for at least 16th time since start of full-scale war * Neva radar, Pantsir air defense, and a tugboat — Ukraine releases latest drone strike video hit list

American media should make sure not to become another missile in Russia's hands to strike Ukraine

Russia has no right to call its ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine "retaliatory strikes" in a war that it started. There is only one side that has the right to retaliate: the side that was attacked. By launching a large-scale war against Ukraine, Moscow effectively made itself a legitimate target for Kyiv's forces. The attacked side has the right to defend and protect itself, its territory, and its people. Yet many American media outlets, after five years of Russia's brutal full-scale invasi

Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 2, 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.

Most Popular

1.

A charred Russian KAMAZ armored vehicle sits by the side of the road, the latest victim of a Ukrainian drone strike. Two Ural heavy recovery trucks can be seen parked either side, while several Russian mechanics attempt to replace the vehicle's melted tires. Another incoming Ukrainian drone dives, nearly silently, towards the recovery operation, aiming directly for the Russian soldiers. The footage cuts out just before impact. The video is just one of many that have flooded social media in rec

News Feed