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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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Wednesday, June 24

Polish PM Tusk caught between Kyiv and Warsaw as Ukraine rift deepens

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is in a tough spot. The liberal pro-EU, pro-Ukraine prime minister is looking at a country increasingly at odds with both. In recent weeks, ties between Kyiv and Warsaw have sharply deteriorated after President Volodymyr Zelensky named a military unit in honor of the World War II–era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), prompting his Polish counterpart to revoke the country's highest state honor previously awarded to the Ukrainian president. The unfolding row saw Z

President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw, Poland, on Dec. 19, 2025.

Ukraine war latest: Crimea now 'zone of constant losses' SBU says, after strikes on Russian air defenses, military airfields

Key developments on June 24: * Crimea now 'zone of constant losses' SBU says, after strikes on Russian air defenses, military airfields * Russia redeploys air defenses to Moscow, Kerch Bridge as Ukrainian strikes intensify, military intelligence says * Belarus halts equipment used to guide Russian strikes, Zelensky says, after Ukraine's ultimatum * Skelia assault regiment under investigation following report of 26 noncombat deaths, alleged abuse * Moscow Oil Refinery unlikely to resume ope

Ukraine is becoming a foundational pillar for Europe's new security architecture

For decades, the central question of Ukraine's relationship with Europe was whether Ukraine would ever become part of the European Union. Today, the debate has fundamentally changed, and the question is no longer whether Ukraine belongs to Europe, but rather if Europe can credibly defend itself in today's volatile security environment without Ukraine. The answer is clear: it cannot. Ukraine is steadily becoming one of the key security providers on the European continent. This had stemmed not s

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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'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

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