KI short logo

Culture

The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

Ukrainian InstituteLearn more
'My first impression was it's hell' — Belarusian prison memoir brings attention back to Lukashenko's repressions
Culture

'My first impression was it's hell' — Belarusian prison memoir brings attention back to Lukashenko's repressions

by Kate Tsurkan

In a Belarusian prison, it's a simple note — "We are with you" — hidden inside a chocolate bar from a volunteer aid package that can move political prisoners to tears. In their tightly monitored environment, where isolation itself is a form of punishment, such gestures take on an almost sacred significance. Hanna Komar's memoir "When I'm Out Of Here: Staying Human in a Dictator's Jail" details how these fleeting acts of solidarity become a means of holding on when living in an authoritarian reg

More from Culture

NewsLetters

News Feed

Ukraine's energy system is not in survival mode — we are building Europe's energy future

For international investors gathered at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland this week, the rebuilding of strategic sectors like energy has become a significant emerging opportunity — yet one they risk missing out on. Across an energy system that Russia has repeatedly tried to occupy or destroy since 2022, companies like DTEK are not waiting for peace before building again. Continuous attacks compel us to restore existing infrastructure while simultaneously accelerating the construction of

Wind turbines are seen at the Orivska Wind Farm near Oriv, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine, on May 25, 2026.

Letters to the editor: Our readers on war, anti-migration protests, and investments in Ukraine

This week's letters come from readers writing about Ukraine — a Romanian journalist reporting from Kyiv on the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment, an American veteran on American support, and an investor questioning whether some foreign "investment" is being mistaken for genuine economic recovery. Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent? Send it to letters@kyivindependent.com — your letter may appear in our Letters section. ‘Great news for Ukraine’s investment climate’ — W

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.

Read more

Most Popular

1.
War

'They attack with everything at once' — How Russia exploits Ukraine's vulnerability to ballistic missiles

An explosion lights up the sky during a Russian drone and missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 2, 2026.

On June 2, Russia carried out its largest ballistic and hypersonic missile attack of the year. On June 15, it nearly surpassed that record. The attacks point to a disturbing change in tactics: The Kremlin may be refining a new model of strikes on Ukrainian cities, relying on concentrated salvos of ballistic and hypersonic missiles to inflict maximum damage as Ukraine faces a growing shortage of Patriot interceptors. The two mass strikes in June followed a similar pattern. Russia launched more

Editors' Picks

News Feed