Culture

The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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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

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From Ukraine's war zone to loving homes

When war approaches, people may be able to pack their lives into a suitcase and flee within hours. Animals, however, cannot. In areas where humans can no longer enter, animals are often the last living beings left behind amid relentless drone attacks and artillery fire, with little chance of survival. As the front line shifts across Ukraine, more and more animals are abandoned to face the realities of war alone — stranded on the streets, constantly at risk of being killed by strikes or trapped

Onistrat family and their rescued dogs Divchulia and Hugo in Bobrytsia, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, on Oct. 22, 2025.

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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