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The Hidden Canon: Discover Ukrainian literary classics

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

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'Hemingway Knows Nothing': Ukraine's writers are redefining literature of war
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'Hemingway Knows Nothing': Ukraine's writers are redefining literature of war

by Kate Tsurkan

When war, loss, and unimaginable suffering become routine, a book can offer a kind of lifeline — especially one by a writer who has lived through such an ordeal and tried to make sense of it. At the start of Russia’s full-scale war, some Ukrainians speculated if they’d see the rise of their own Ernest Hemingway: a writer whose books would not only capture the experience of a generation but come to define it. Yet it soon became clear that the old paradigms of war literature no longer spoke to t

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Exclusive: Ukraine, Russia are done with Steve Witkoff. Trump sees no problem

Kyiv and Moscow are growing increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-mediated peace process — and with Washington's Envoy Steve Witkoff, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has emerged as a key peace negotiator, traveled to Russia and Ukraine in early September in an attempt to restart stalled negotiations. They left both countries with little to show for the effort. Behind the scenes, however, several separate efforts are

U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 6, 2026.

As Russia targets Ukraine’s economy, keeping businesses alive takes priority

As Russian attacks on Ukraine's businesses escalate, the government's push to attract investment to Ukraine's wartime economy is coming up against a more immediate challenge: keeping businesses alive at all. "When the attacks started, we realized that the challenge was about more than raising investment. It's also about keeping supply chains and businesses going, like pharmacies, food and retail goods that are needed to survive," Deputy Economy Minister Yegor Perelygin told the Kyiv Independent

burning auto parts warehouse following an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 2, 2026.

Inside Russia's 2026 parliamentary election: Banned opposition, rigging, and war

A parliamentary election kicked off in Russia on Sept. 18 in what is expected to be a rubber-stamp ritual intended to legitimize President Vladimir Putin's rule. The election will be held over several days and will be completed on Sept. 20. The voting is taking place amid growing frustration among Russians with the war as its costs mount, and Ukraine intensifies drone strikes on Russian territory. However, there is little opportunity for voters to express their discontent since anti-war parti

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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