Solutions from Ukraine: New initiative helps publishers hit by Russian attacks through book and board game sales

07.09.2026, 15:11 rubryka.com

Russian shelling has caused Ukrainian publishers to lose warehouses, offices, equipment, and already printed runs. Other infrastructure needed to produce and store books has also been damaged.

For the publishing business, the consequences of such attacks go beyond the value of destroyed property. After suffering losses, companies need to:

At the same time, readers who would like to support affected businesses do not always know which publishers have suffered losses or where they can buy their products.

For this purpose, the SaveBook.in.ua initiative was created to gather information in one place about affected Ukrainian publishers and their products.

The idea is to make support not only charitable. A person can buy a book or board game they were already planning to purchase, but choose a product from a publisher that needs help after a Russian attack.

In this way, the publisher earns revenue from selling its own products, while the buyer receives a book or game.

On the platform, users can find publishers that have suffered losses, view their products and follow links to purchase them.

This mechanism helps direct demand toward the products of businesses that now need resources to recover and continue operating.

For publishers, sales can mean the ability to cover current expenses, restore destroyed print runs and finance future editions.

Buying products differs from one-time financial assistance because it supports the publisher's business model itself. The company not only receives money but also maintains its connection with readers and demand for its products.

This is especially important for the cultural industry, where recovery after physical destruction depends not only on repairing premises or purchasing equipment, but also on whether the business can continue selling and creating new products.

The authors of the initiative plan to continue expanding the list of affected publishers and products available for purchase in support of them.

Background

Earlier, Rubryka reported that publishers had asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyi to convene the National Security and Defense Council and instruct the government to develop mechanisms for compensation and restoration of destroyed print runs. The Ukrainian Publishers Association estimates the industry's direct losses at at least 1.19 billion hryvnias.

Rubryka collected in one article five publishers affected by Russian attacks and their books, which readers can add to their home libraries while also supporting affected businesses. Unfortunately, there are many more such publishers, and it is impossible to mention them all in one article. In any case, remember that the best way to support Ukrainian publishers is to keep buying and reading Ukrainian books, no matter how much the enemy wants to destroy them. Read more in the article: "Which books to buy to support publishers affected by Russia's attacks."

Read full news…