The Ukrainian Book Institute calls on the international publishing community to support Ukrainian publishers who have suffered extensive losses as a result of Russian attacks in July and early August 2026.

In just one month, Ukraine’s book industry lost a significant part of its production capacity and approximately 10 million copies of books. Following the Russian attack on the warehouses of the RNK-Ranok publishing corporation in Kharkiv on 1 August, the industry lost an amount of book production equivalent to approximately 30% of its annual output. For some publishers, the consequences of these attacks may be critical, with some companies already on the brink of financial collapse.

“At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian Book Institute already appealed to the international community to support Ukraine and, in particular, the Ukrainian book market. Today, we are once again making the same appeal, because we are now facing the destruction of a volume of book production equivalent to one third of the annual output. At this stage, we face the risk of the collapse of the entire book ecosystem,” says Oleksandra Koval, Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute.

The Ukrainian government is already working on support programmes for affected publishers and printing companies. Potential support mechanisms include grant funding to restore equipment and compensation for damage to property.

At the same time, publishers’ losses are estimated at billions of hryvnias — an amount that cannot be fully covered by state assistance. The consequences of the attacks include not only damaged equipment, but also destroyed print runs, investments, and the long-term work of a large number of people.

We emphasize that the book industry is of strategic importance to Ukraine. It provides access to knowledge and education, preserves and promotes Ukrainian culture, and creates a social and cultural space for the Ukrainian voice both within Ukraine and beyond its borders.

Therefore, Russian attacks on printing facilities, publishing houses, and warehouse infrastructure harm not only individual businesses, but also the country’s cultural and educational environment.

That is why the Ukrainian Book Institute calls on the international book community to support Ukrainian publishers — financially, through professional cooperation, and by helping spread information about Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian culture.

“Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing attempts to destroy Ukrainian identity, culture, and history, Ukrainian publishing has a special mission. Supporting Ukrainian publishers today is not simply about preserving an industry. It is about defending Ukraine’s right to speak in its own voice and shape its own narrative in the world,” said Olena Odynoka, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute for International Cooperation.

The Ukrainian Book Institute also calls for an end to cooperation with Russian publishers and literary agencies. Any form of cooperation with Russian representatives is a weapon against the lives of Ukrainians, Ukrainian culture, and the work of hundreds of Ukrainian publishers who continue their vital work despite ongoing missile attacks.

Active support and solidarity are crucial to countering this attempt at erasure and preserving the cultural heritage that Russia is deliberately trying to destroy.

The full text of the Ukrainian Book Institute’s appeal to the international book community and the bank details for supporting Ukrainian publishers are available at this link.