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Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024 draws 35,000 visitors despite war. PHOTO REPORT

At Kyiv Arsenal 2024, charred books from a Russian missile strike in Kharkiv stood alongside works by soldier-authors, illustrating Ukrainian literature’s endurance under fire.
Exhibition “Books destroyed by Russia” at the Arsenal Book Fair, Kyiv 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024 draws 35,000 visitors despite war. PHOTO REPORT

Kyiv’s International Arsenal Book Festival rebounded strongly in 2024, drawing 35,000 visitors to its historic venue – a 19th-century arsenal in the Kyiv City Center. The event, running since 2011, featured over 160 literary gatherings from 30 May to 2 June.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Exhibition “Books destroyed by Russia” at the Arsenal Book Fair, Kyiv 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press

This marks significant growth from 28,000 attendees in 2023, following a war-induced pause in 2022. Pre-war, the festival showcased 150+ Ukrainian publishers and 500+ global writers.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

The queue to this year’s Arsenal stretched up to 400 meters at times amid security checks but moved quite fast.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

On the last evening of the festival, the musical and poetic event “Opus Doloris. Many Voices” is dedicated to the Ukrainian writers who died as a result of Russian aggression: Victoria Amelina, Hlib Babych, Volodymyr Vakulenko, Oleh Kliufas, Maksym Kryvtsov, Ihor Mysiak, Ilia Chernilevskyi.

Ukrainian singer Vivienne Mort earlier dedicated one of her songs to Maksym Kryvtsov, “Don’t you come in here,” using the words from his verse. (Eng subs available:)


A stand displaying books destroyed by a Russian missile in Kharkiv became especially meaningful and striking. The burnt books and lingering smell of ash reminded visitors of the ongoing war.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
“Book destroyed by Russia” exhibition at the Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

On 23 May 2024, Russia destroyed 50,000 books in its missile attack on the Faktor-Druk printing house in the Osnovyanskyi district of Kharkiv, also destroying the printing house itself. Three S-300 missiles directly hit the workshop and adjacent territory. This attack demonstrates that Russia wages war not only against Ukrainian people but also against Ukrainian culture and language.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
“Book destroyed by Russia” exhibition at the Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
“Book destroyed by Russia” exhibition at the Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

The Arsenal presented numerous books by Ukrainian writers who joined the Armed Forces. Some of the panels were dedicated entirely to Ukrainian soldiers.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Ukrainian writers and Armed Forces members Artur Dron, Yaryna Chornoguz, and Dmytro Lazutkin speaking at the Arsenal Book Fair, 31 May 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press

Some of the authors could only join online from the frontline areas.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Ukrainian Journalist and Armed Forces member Lesia Ganzha speaking at the Arsenal Book Fair via video recording. Photo by Euromaidan Press
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Visitors queuing to buy Ukrainian writer and serviceman Artem Chekh’s new book, “Song of the Open Way,” with his autograph, 31 May 2024. Photo Euromaidan Press

Azov Brigade had its special stand while numerous servicemen were among visitors.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

Over 100 public presentations and discussions took place during the Arsenal, including one dedicated to poems by Ukrainian writers about those in captivity.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Poets Yulia Musakovska, Tonia Kornuta, and Tetiana Vlasova performed at the Book Arsenal on 31 May 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press

As one of the visitors told Euromaidan Press, this year’s Book Arsenal is “the celebration of life.”

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

The Arsenal also hosted numerous exhibitions, mostly dedicated to the ongoing war.

Naїve Ukrainian Gardens — a documentary project by Serhiy Polezhaka, where he depicts the Russian-Ukrainian war through photographs of destroyed houses and gardens throughout Ukraine. He considers the garden as a symbol of Ukrainian society and its values. The Naїve Ukrainian Gardens series is part of the Ukrainian Warchive photo book 13 Stories of War, which brings together 13 visual essays by Ukrainian photographers in response to the full-scale war.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Visitors near “The Naїve Ukrainian Gardens” exhibition at the Kyiv Book Fair, 1 June 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
“Infinite Return” at the Kyiv Book Fair, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Visitors near the posters at the Kyiv Book Fair, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
Visitors watch a short documentary about occupied Mariupol at the Kyiv Book Fair, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
One of the exhibitions showed old Ukrainian books published mostly in the WWII era and Ukrainian writers persecuted by Soviet and Nazi totalitarian regimes. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
An exhibition displaying stories of ordinary Ukrainians—psychologists, chefs, designers, doctors, photographers, and filmmakers—who became soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to repel Russian aggression.

The International Arsenal Book Festival featured a dedicated children’s program, offering both literature and activities tailored for young readers.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

“Life on the Edge” was the title of one of the panels.

Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.
Kyiv Arsenal Book Fair 2024
The Arsenal Book Fair in Kyiv, 2024. Photo by Euromaidan Press.

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