Russian strikes destroy 12 million books ahead of Ukraine's first week back at school
Russian missile strikes have destroyed approximately 12 million books across Ukraine, including school textbooks and historical archives. Publishing industry leaders describe these attacks as a deliberate attempt to erase Ukrainian culture and national identity.
Why it matters
The destruction of educational and cultural infrastructure represents a significant escalation in the targeting of civilian life during the ongoing conflict.
Image caption, Russia targeted a famous second-hand book market in Kyiv recently, as well as publishing warehouses and printing presses nationwide
The article reports on the destruction from the perspective of those affected while attributing the intent to the Russian Federation based on local accounts.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in