Seven Dead and 21 Injured in Kharkiv Printing House After Russian Shelling, 50,000 Books Destroyed

As a result of the terrorist shelling of Kharkiv by Russian forces on 23 May, the "Factor-Druk" printing house, where several Ukrainian publishers printed their books, was destroyed. The missile strike led to the death of seven people and injured 21 others. Additionally, the printing facilities and 50,000 printed books were destroyed, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on 24 May.

"Yesterday, as a result of the Russian missile strike, seven people lost their lives. I extend my condolences to their families and loved ones. Twenty-one people were injured. The printing house was destroyed, and tens of thousands of books were burned. Many of them were children's books, educational materials, and textbooks... Russian terror must never go unpunished. Step by step, we are ensuring that the Russian state bears the consequences and costs of its evil," stated Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President of Ukraine also emphasized that this incident demonstrates that Russia is waging war "against humanity and all aspects of normal life."

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that to overcome Russian terror, Russia must be defeated. For this, the resolve of world leaders, sufficient air defence for Ukrainian cities and communities, powerful long-range capabilities for Ukrainian warriors, and "brave political decisions" are needed.

The owner of the destroyed printing house, Serhiy Polytuchyi, reported that this event will have a significant impact on the entire publishing industry of Ukraine, as the overall capacity of the printing houses will decrease by 30-40%. He also mentioned that nearly 50% of all textbooks were printed at "Factor-Druk." According to him, even with external assistance, the recovery process could take at least several months.

It is worth noting that The Gaze reported that on the morning of 23 May, Russian occupation forces launched another missile strike on Kharkiv. This terrorist attack on the city's civilian infrastructure resulted in the deaths of seven people and injuries to 20, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

In total, 50 employees were present in the printing house during the attack. Due to the proximity to the border, the flight time of Russian missiles to Kharkiv is only a few minutes, giving people little time to reach shelter.