Books are now among Russia’s war targets in Ukraine, and the numbers are stark: The AP reports that more than 13 million books—roughly a third of Ukraine’s yearly print run—were destroyed in just two months this summer, much of it in Russian strikes on publishing warehouses and print shops. A single August drone attack on Ranok, a major educational publisher in Kharkiv, wiped out 8 million books, including hundreds of thousands of textbooks. At least 40 other publishers and multiple bookstores have also been hit, with the damages running up a $40 million toll that is also priceless. “This is a deliberate policy of Russia because they understand that culture is what makes us feel resilient, what makes us feel the owners of our land, of our destiny,” said Tetiana Berezhna, Ukraine’s culture minister.
The fallout is reshaping Ukraine’s literary future. Publishers, already struggling financially, say they’re likely to cut back on debut authors and riskier titles, threatening the next generation of Ukrainian writing and narrowing what gets published to safe bestsellers. Officials are drafting support plans—from grants for small presses to state purchases for school libraries—but industry figures argue only significant government help and foreign aid will keep the sector alive. For a fuller look at how the country’s book industry became a front line, read the full AP piece.