Deputy Minister of Culture Bohdana Layuk has announced the need to integrate Ukrainian libraries into the national security architecture. Since the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion, over 900 such cultural institutions have been damaged. This was reported by Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Deputy Minister of Culture Bohdana Layuk emphasized the importance of implementing the experience of Northern European countries, where cultural institutions are part of the total defense system. She made the statement during a discussion at the BestsellerFest festival in Lviv.
Libraries as an element of defense and resilience
According to Bohdana Layuk, such institutions should perform not only a communication function for communities but also strengthen national security. The experience of Nordic countries demonstrates that the cultural network can effectively contribute to defense capabilities and the psychological resilience of the population.
Ukrainian specialists already have unique experience gained during the war, including relocation, fund preservation, support for internally displaced persons, and cooperation with the military. Despite this, the library network is not yet formalized as part of the national security architecture.
Scales of destruction and state support
Libraries remain one of the most extensive networks suffering significant losses due to russian aggression. As of the end of July 2026, 906 libraries had been destroyed or damaged in Ukraine.
The Ministry of Culture, together with the Ministry of Finance, is working on a program to update book stocks. At the same time, an institutional reform is underway to optimize the operation of these facilities under current conditions.
Photo: Ministry of Culture of Ukraine
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