Culture

The Hidden Canon: Ukraine's Literary Iconoclasts

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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Artist Zhanna Kadyrova (R) and curator Leonid Marushchak pose with the "Origami Deer" sculpture in Prague on March 12, 2026.
Culture

When security guarantees fail: Ukraine's message at the Venice Biennale

by Valeria Radkevych

The 61st Venice Biennale is now underway, with the world's premier international art event having been in the spotlight not for its showings, but for its controversy and internal strife. On April 30, just days before the opening of the festival, the jury collectively resigned in protest over Russia and Israel's planned presence in the event, declaring that with a "responsibility toward the historical role of the Biennale," they could not judge art from countries whose leaders are charged with c

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Breaking: Zelensky's former second-in-command, Yermak, charged in major corruption probe

Editor's Note: This is a developing story. President Volodymyr Zelensky's former chief of staff has been charged with laundering money as part of a sweeping corruption investigation, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said in a statement. Although not named in SAPO's statement, the chief of staff in question is Andriy Yermak, a source in law enforcement familiar with the case told the Kyiv Independent. "I will comment after the investigation is over," Yermak told journ

Lithuanian PM Ruginiene: The urgent case for returning Ukraine's children

Some moments in politics go beyond statistics and charts. What remains is the human story underneath it all. The fate of Ukraine's children is one of those moments. As a mother and as a representative of a nation that knows the cost of occupation, I cannot speak about deported, separated, and traumatized children in abstract terms. These are not numbers. These are sons and daughters taken from their homes, separated from their families, stripped of their identity, and placed into systems design

Ukraine fears US will again push a deal giving Russia 'a lot' and Kyiv nothing

The U.S. is attempting to broker a temporary ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia in exchange for sanctions relief for Moscow, the Kyiv Independent has learned, trying to revive stalled talks as Washington looks for a foreign policy breakthrough. The effort is already triggering alarm in Kyiv. Sources familiar with the talks say the framework lacks one thing that Kyiv considers essential: security guarantees to prevent Russia from resuming the war. "They want Ukraine to agree to as much

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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