Behind every Russian attack on book publishers or book markets in Ukraine lies a desire to destroy more than just books. It is an imperialist drive to eradicate Ukrainian culture, traditions, and everything that allows Ukrainian society to live, preserve its memory, and pass its heritage on to future generations.

Today’s ballistic attack severely damaged a book market in Kyiv. Burned, torn apart, and scattered books are a stark reminder of Russia’s and its accomplices’ values.

One of the burned books seen in the video is “The Case of Vasyl Stus”, which tells the story of the criminal case fabricated by the Soviet security services against the Ukrainian dissident poet. Stus was imprisoned for his Ukrainian principled stance and human rights activism. He died in a punishment cell in a maximum-security camp as a result of brutal conditions and constant pressure.

Ukrainian culture must be protected. The world must increase pressure on Russia to preserve Ukrainian culture, which is an integral part of the world’s cultural heritage.

Video: Pavlo Petrov / State Emergency Service of Ukraine