Millions of burnt books show how 'war of endurance' is hurting Ukraine, economy continues to slow

Russian drone strikes have devastated Ukraine's publishing industry, with over 10 million books destroyed in recent months. A strike on August 1 in Kharkiv destroyed approximately 8 million books from Ranok, one of Ukraine's largest children's publishers. Viktor Kruhlov, Ranok's director, stated, "This was a deliberately planned attack against the book warehouse." Education Minister Andrii Butenko described these attacks as an attempt to destroy Ukrainian language and identity. Beyond the symbolic impact, these attacks highlight the increasing economic costs of the war, which economists characterize as a "struggle for survival." Ukraine's economy, though resilient, is projected to slow further, with a median growth forecast of 1.1% for next year, down from 2.4%. The agricultural sector is also struggling due to Russian attacks on Black Sea port infrastructure, potentially costing between $1.5 billion and $3 billion this year. Publishers face significant challenges, including rising costs and long production times, leading to expectations of stagnation in the sector.