Russian attacks on Ukrainian book warehouses

On 1 August 2026 a Russian drone strike hit the Ranok publishing warehouse in Kharkiv, igniting a fire that consumed roughly eight million books, including about 600,000 school textbooks. Ukrainian officials described the attack as part of a broader Russian campaign targeting cultural and educational infrastructure, noting earlier strikes that had destroyed 1.5 million books earlier in the year and additional losses of 800,000 and 250,000 books in July.

A follow‑up report on 6 August 2026 reiterated the Kharkiv incident and, alongside it, cited a Levada Center poll showing Russian public support for the war had fallen to a record low of 66 % – down from 74 % in May. The poll linked the decline to fuel shortages, price spikes, and the cumulative impact of the conflict, while also mentioning Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy and logistics targets.

Together, the snapshots illustrate an escalating pattern of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cultural assets and a concurrent erosion of domestic backing for the war within Russia.