On May 23, tragedy struck Ukraine's cultural heart in Kharkiv as a Russian missile decimated Factor Druk, the country's largest printing house. Amidst the bustling operations of bookbinding and production, several workers faced sudden and devastating fatalities, with others sustaining severe injuries.
According to The Guardian, Olena Ninadovska, an employee, was working in Ukraine's largest printing house, Factor Druk, when a Russian S-300 missile struck, killing her and six others and injuring 21, with nine hospitalized. The missile hit the binding department where Ninadovska worked alongside Tetaina Khrapin and Olha Kurasova.
Sveta Arestova, another employee who stepped out to take a phone call, survived. Roman Stroyhi was killed by shards from a guillotine machine. The attack, which flipped over a 10-tonne book-finishing machine and killed Svitlana Ryzhenko and two other workers at an adjacent table, caused significant devastation.
The incident occurred at 10:20 am in Kharkiv, Ukraine's publishing hub. Tetiana Hryniuk, Factor Druk's general director, was in a neighboring building and recounted the ensuing chaos and shock. Identifying the bodies of the deceased was harrowing, with five so severely burned they required DNA tests.
The missile strike destroyed 50,000 books, including children's literature, textbooks for the upcoming school year, and a Ukrainian translation of "The Marriage Portrait" by Maggie O'Farrell. This destruction is part of a broader Russian effort to erase Ukrainian culture and language, echoing historical patterns of repression.
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Factor Druk, a key player in Ukraine's publishing industry, had produced over a million books annually before the Russian invasion. The attack has incapacitated its operations, reducing production to zero and leaving Kharkiv without significant printing resources. Despite this, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation has pledged €5.1 million to restore the printing house, demonstrating resilience and international support.
CNN reported that the United States will fund the printing of more than three million textbooks for Ukrainian students ahead of the upcoming school year amidst heightened Russian attacks on Ukrainian printing facilities, described by US senior administration officials as part of Moscow's aggressive actions against Ukraine.
The US government will allocate approximately $8 million through USAID to facilitate the printing of these textbooks. In addition, recent policy adjustments allowed US weapons to be used in strikes into Russian territory in response to cross-border attacks into Ukraine.
Hryniuk expressed optimism about rebuilding within six months, dismissing Russian claims that the facility produced drones. Hryniuk told Chytomo that the company is actively engaging with equipment manufacturers to secure contracts and exploring options for used machinery, as acquiring new equipment is financially impractical.
The company also focuses on clearing debris and addressing structural damage caused by the missile strike. Hryniuk emphasized that the devastation was more extensive than initially reported, with well over 50,000 books lost in the fire.
The company is seeking collaboration with other printing facilities to complete partially finished projects, although starting anew from scratch is nearly impossible given the current financial constraints.
The attack occurred before Kyiv's Arsenal book festival, where destroyed books were exhibited to garner support for Kharkiv's book industry. The Ukrainian public responded with defiance and messages of resilience.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced Russia's actions as an assault on humanity and normal life. The global community recognized Ukraine's groundbreaking efforts to publish children's books focused on trauma during wartime, stressing the significance of preserving cultural and educational resources amidst ongoing conflict.
The legacy of Russian attempts to suppress Ukrainian culture dates back centuries, including bans on Ukrainian-language texts and the execution of Ukrainian poets and writers under Stalin. Recent events are seen as a continuation of this historical repression, with Russia targeting and eliminating Ukrainian cultural producers.
The Factor Druk attack and its aftermath highlight the resilience of the Ukrainian people and their determination to preserve and promote their culture amidst adversity. Despite the severe setbacks, the commitment to rebuilding and continuing cultural production remains strong, symbolizing a broader struggle for identity and survival in the face of aggression.
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