The Russian Book Union, the Russian Publishers Association and the Association of Booksellers report unprecedented losses following a series of drone strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on Wildberries and Ozon warehouses.

According to figures available as of 23 August 2026, more than 15 million books were destroyed. A significant share were educational and children’s titles - mathematics and physics textbooks, literature textbooks and primers - alongside fiction and non-fiction by Russian and international authors.

The strikes came at the peak of preparations for the new school year, when large stocks of educational books had been accumulated ahead of 1 September. Wildberries and Ozon accounts for approximately 60% of the Russian book market by value and is a vital distribution channel, particularly in smaller towns and remote regions.

Among the books destroyed were school textbooks and children’s books, as well as works by Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky - authors whose legacy belongs to world literature.

Whatever the military objectives of the strikes, millions of books have been destroyed and will not reach their readers. The international publishing community has spoken out when books, printing facilities and libraries have been destroyed in armed conflicts. The same principle should apply to books and readers everywhere.