A School Year Without Books? Russian Strikes Destroy 12 Million In Ukraine

Russian strikes have destroyed 12 million books in Ukraine, including school textbooks, ahead of the new academic year, according to Ukrainian publishing and cultural officials. The attacks have damaged publishing and logistics infrastructure across the country.

The latest damage has raised concerns over the supply of textbooks as Ukraine prepares for the new academic year. Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has said all education institutions must be fully ready for the new academic year by September 1.

Book Industry Hit

Ukraine's Culture Ministry said on Friday that a Russian strike on a logistics centre belonging to the Ranok publishing house in Kharkiv destroyed 8 million books, including more than 620,000 textbooks. It said more than 10 million books had been destroyed across Ukraine during summer 2026, with direct losses exceeding 1.2 billion hryvnias.

The ministry said the attacks had affected more than 30 Ukrainian publishers, with major strikes during the summer damaging book-publishing and distribution infrastructure.

Textbooks At Risk

Ukraine's parliament has discussed measures to ensure schools receive textbooks for the 2026-27 academic year following attacks on publishing and logistics infrastructure.

The Cabinet of Ministers has instructed authorities to complete preparations before the school year begins, while the Education Ministry has outlined measures covering school readiness, teacher support and preparations for the winter period.