Andrei Kurkov discusses writing in Ukraine amid conflict

Ukrainian novelist Andrei Kurkov discusses the role of culture and artistic creation during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. He emphasizes that art allows individuals to preserve their freedom, emotions, and the complexity of the human experience in the face of an enemy that seeks to reduce people to silent, terrified beings focused solely on survival.

Kurkov, known for works such as ‘Death with a Penguin’, ‘The Gardener of Ochakov’, and ‘Grey Bees’, has transitioned from writing about the post-Soviet collapse to documenting the current invasion. He notes that while the war has stripped the joy from cities like Kyiv, creative expression remains a vital tool for maintaining human identity.