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The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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Kyiv Independent recommends 5 translated Ukrainian books to look out for in late 2026 and early 2027
Culture

Kyiv Independent recommends 5 translated Ukrainian books to look out for in late 2026 and early 2027

by Kate Tsurkan

This November marks a milestone for Ukrainian literature in English translation — and especially for Ukraine's literary legend Yuri Andrukhovych. Andrukhovych's novel "Radio Night" will be the first contemporary Ukrainian novel published by New York Review Books, which boasts one of the most diverse and well-curated literary catalogs in English-language literature. They previously published his poetry collection "Set Change," which features verse from the 1980s and 1990s, in 2024. A publisher

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Kyiv now feels like a front-line city — but its resolve is holding, for now

For much of Russia's full-scale war, massive attacks on Kyiv came mainly at night. Residents learned, as much as possible, to organize their lives around them. They would sleep in hallways or bathrooms, check Telegram channels for updates in the dark, then emerge in the morning and go to work, cafes, concerts, or dinner. That fragile division between wartime nights and relatively normal days is now disappearing. In recent weeks, Russia has increasingly launched jet-powered attack drones toward

Firefighters work after a Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 1, 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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Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has worked his way out of Western isolation before. Now, he seems to be launching yet another attempt. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 21 announced a "massive" potash deal with Belarus, and only days later, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski held talks with his Belarusian counterpart in the first ministerial meeting in seven years. Belarus has faced international isolation since the heavily disputed 2020 presidential elections, which Lukashe

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