Ukraine’s 'YeKnyha' program reaches more than 200,000 young readers, boosts book sales nationwide

More than 200,000 young Ukrainians have received government assistance to purchase books through the "YeKnyha" ("There's a Book") program as of early October, the Culture Ministry reported on Oct. 13.

A total of about 201,500 applications have been submitted via the Diia app, Ukraine's flagship digital services platform.

In the first nine months of 2025, 18-year-old Ukrainians received Hr 181.9 million ($4.3 million) in government assistance to purchase books through the program, the Culture Ministry reported.

According to the Culture Ministry, 60.8% of purchases were made through 34 online bookstores, while 39.2% occurred in 297 physical stores nationwide.

Launched in 2024 as a government initiative to promote reading among young people and strengthen Ukraine’s publishing sector, the "YeKnyha" program continues to attract steady interest, receiving roughly 3,000 new applications each week.

"When 18-year-olds choose a book, they choose growth. Reading is the foundation of the educational process," Acting Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna said.

"By supporting reading today, we are shaping a society that knows how to think, analyze, and create. The 'YeKnyha' program is an investment in youth education, the development of a reading nation, and support for the Ukrainian book market."

The largest share of bookstore purchases came from Kyiv Oblast, which accounted for 18.7 % of all sales. Lviv Oblast followed with 13.1 %, trailed by Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (6.5 %), Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast (5.9%), and Poltava Oblast (5.1%).

Amid Russia's ongoing full-scale war, the government program has taken on critical importance: with Ukrainian language and literature under attack — including the targeting of Ukrainian publishing houses in Russian attacks —  fostering young readers has become a key pillar of cultural preservation and national resilience.

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