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The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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'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

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Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian troops raise flag on Russian-held Kinburn Spit, military says

Key developments on June 24: * Ukrainian troops raise flag on Kinburn Spit in Mykolaiv Oblast held by Russian forces since 2022, military says * Skelia assault regiment commander suspended from duty amid investigation into alleged abuse * Ukrainian strikes hit energy, oil infrastructure in Russian-occupied Crimea as power outages continue, military confirms * Russian attacks kill 7, injure 70 across Ukraine over past day, as Ukrainian gas facilities hit in several regions Ukrainian troops

Ukraine turns to strangling Russian logistics in Crimea — and it's working

Ukraine's siege of Crimea has been a long time coming. Crimea is under an effective siege as Ukraine has been systematically isolating the occupied peninsula with a multipronged campaign of drone strikes. "Hell is beginning," Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a June 17 interview. "Logistics are being cut off. Crimea is being isolated." Ukraine plans to fully isolate the peninsula, cutting it off from Russian supply while destroying critical infrastructure — ultimately allowi

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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