Russian drone torches Kharkiv publishing warehouse, destroying millions of books

A Russian drone attack on Saturday ignited a warehouse belonging to Ranok Publishing House in Kharkiv, reducing a massive stock of books to ash. Viktor Kruglov, the publisher's general director, confirmed that the strike was targeted and that the inferno destroyed several million titles, among them many school textbooks, jeopardising supplies for the new academic year. One employee suffered injuries, while all staff remain alive.

The fire rendered the 108,000-square-foot building inaccessible due to extreme heat, and damage estimates approach $7 million. KnyhoLand, a major Ukrainian bookseller that stored inventory there, suspended all online orders and urged customers to stay safe. This incident follows earlier attacks that have already eliminated over 1.5 million books across Ukraine as part of a broader campaign to erase Ukrainian cultural identity.