NYT: Russia has destroyed up to 15 million newly printed Ukrainian books in recent months
Russian strikes on Ukrainian publishing warehouses and a major printing house have destroyed up to 15 million newly published books in recent months — nearly half the country's annual output. Separately, Russian drone strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions overnight killed three civilians.
Russian strikes in recent months have destroyed up to 15 million newly printed Ukrainian books, roughly half the country's annual production, The New York Times reports, according to UNIAN.
One of the largest strikes hit a warehouse belonging to the "Ranok" publishing house in Kharkiv. Two Russian jet drones sparked a fire that took nearly a week to extinguish, destroying all 8 million books stored there, including 620,000 school textbooks.
A Russian ballistic missile also destroyed a significant part of the "Pochaina" book market in Kyiv, which held rare pre-revolutionary and Soviet-era editions. Strikes also damaged warehouses belonging to other publishers and one of Ukraine's largest printing houses, "Konvi."
Ukraine's association of publishers estimates the number of destroyed new books at up to 15 million, while the Ministry of Culture puts the industry's losses at nearly $40 million. There is no mass book shortage yet, but some Ukrainian schoolchildren began the academic year without needed textbooks.
Strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions
Russian forces attacked Ukraine's Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions with strike drones overnight into Sunday, September 27. According to Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the Zaporizhzhia military administration, Russian forces struck the settlement of Kamyshevakha and the village of Novotavriiske, killing three civilians and wounding four others, according to preliminary data.
In Novotavriiske, Russian forces struck a car driving through the village; it caught fire after being hit, killing a man and a woman on the spot. In Kamyshevakha, one house was destroyed and several neighboring homes damaged, authorities said.
Russia also struck port and civilian infrastructure in the city of Kiliia in Odesa region. According to preliminary information, no one was injured, and emergency services extinguished the resulting fire.
Ukrainian estimates of Russian losses
According to Ukraine's General Staff, Russia's total combat losses since February 24, 2022 stand at approximately 1,528,970 personnel, 12,384 tanks, and 535,846 tactical-level drones. Ukraine does not regularly publish its own loss figures.
