KI short logo

Culture

The Hidden Canon: Ukraine's Literary Iconoclasts

A Kyiv Independent project backed by the Ukrainian Institute

Ukrainian InstituteExplore
Artist Zhanna Kadyrova (R) and curator Leonid Marushchak pose with the "Origami Deer" sculpture in Prague on March 12, 2026.
Culture

When security guarantees fail: Ukraine's message at the Venice Biennale

by Valeria Radkevych

The 61st Venice Biennale is now underway, with the world's premier international art event having been in the spotlight not for its showings, but for its controversy and internal strife. On April 30, just days before the opening of the festival, the jury collectively resigned in protest over Russia and Israel's planned presence in the event, declaring that with a "responsibility toward the historical role of the Biennale," they could not judge art from countries whose leaders are charged with c

More from Culture

NewsLetters

News Feed

The anniversary of Russia's long-forgotten genocide

For millions of Europeans, the era of Russian domination over the nations east of the former Iron Curtain remains a vivid, living memory. But while the Kremlin's tide receded across most of Central and Eastern Europe, others remain stuck within Russia's borders, yearning for the freedom of national expression that has yet to materialize. European history is littered with tales of one nation's brutality towards another, but very few nations have experienced what can truly be called a genocide —

Federation of Caucasian Associations at the 159th anniversary of the Circassian exile in Ankara, Turkey, on May 21, 2023.

Ukraine war latest: Russia's Syzran oil refinery hit by 'another long range sanction'

Key developments on May 21: * 'Another long-range sanction' — Ukraine strikes Syzran oil refinery, more than 800 kilometers from border * Russia allegedly delivers nuclear warheads for joint exercises with Belarus * Ukraine strikes Russian FSB headquarters in occupied Kherson Oblast, killing and injuring nearly 100 troops * Ukraine developing new low-cost way to down Russian Shahed-type drones * Russian drones hits apartment buildings in Dnipro injuring 15, including 13-year-old boy Ukrai

Is Belarus about to enter the Russian war?

With much of the focus on Ukraine being placed on the stagnant state of U.S.-led peace talks and recent successful Ukrainian drone strikes against Russia's oil refineries, Western policymakers should not overlook Ukraine's northern border with Belarus. This week, Belarus is participating in alarming Russian-led nuclear warfare exercises. Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly raised concerns about the possibility of Belarus entering the war from the north in support of Russia. None o

Russian President Putin (L) and Belarusian President Lukashenka (R) in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 26, 2026.

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

Editors' Picks

News Feed