The public library in the village of Ivankiv, Kyiv region. Librarian Svetlana Godun holds in her hands a book pierced by two bullets. The woman carefully tries to unfold its pages. And tells that this is it Encyclopedia of modern Ukraine.
After the occupation, she says, Russian troops have left this bitter memory, while they were shooting into the building.
“The book stopped the bullets. This is the way Russians fight against Ukrainian culture,” Svetlana told Voice of America (VOA).
The village of Ivankiv was occupied by the Russians for 36 days at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Godun says her library “lucked out” compared to the library in the neighboring village of Obukhovichi. “When I entered after de-occupation I was shocked. Everything was scattered. The Russians had made from the book windows to shoot through“, recalls Olena Shumak.
“They had stolen the geographical atlas of Ukraine and the Russian-Ukrainian dictionaries. As well as the adult novel “50 Shades of Grey,” adds the librarian from Obukhovichi.
Despite all the damage, libraries reopen immediately after the departure of the Russian troops.
Now the two librarians are trying to raise money for books and repairs, and local people are pitching in to help. Everyone says that they missed the books more during the Russian occupation.
After several trips to help Ukraine, the French writers Anne and Laurent Champ-Massard decided to stay for longer.
“Actually, my grandmother was Ukrainian, so we always wanted to visit this country. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to do it before the war. When the big Russian invasion happened, we all wanted to get involved and help this country. It’s not just military aggression, you know, it’s also cultural“, the two writers add.
Even in times of war he says, Ukrainians are hungry for cultural events. Some libraries, especially on the front lines, have changed dramatically.
For example, Central Nikopol’s library has a bomb shelter, which is used by the entire district. “People come here to spend the night when the city is shelled. They always go through the library first, get books, then go down to the basement and read,” says Maxim Sitnyakov.
Many libraries have become what Ukrainians call “points without refraction”. Essentials such as heat, water, a place to rest and first aid kits are provided there.
In the municipality of Ivankovo librarians weave camouflage nets among the books. And in every minute that they are not among the books, the brave ladies are volunteering to help the Ukrainian army.
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