The enemy attacked the National Writers’ Union of Ukraine (NWUU) building on the first morning of 2025. This landmark is located in the Lypky district and the government quarter. It was built in several stages in the late 19th century by Kyiv architect Volodymyr Nikolaiev, who also designed St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral, the Opera House, and 27 other public buildings in Kyiv.
The building gained further prominence under the ownership of Simkha Liberman, a wealthy sugar magnate, who expanded it and named it “Liberman Mansion”.
The mansion hosted the first founding meetings of the People’s Movement of Ukraine, led by poet Ivan Drach, in 1989. This movement, driven by Ukrainian writers, laid the foundation for the nation’s independence. The Writers’ Union building served as the first headquarters of the People’s Movement, where our most significant victory – independence – was achieved.
A memorial plaque was installed to commemorate this significant chapter in Ukraine’s fight for freedom in early 2024.
The enemy is not only killing writers and burning Ukrainian literature but also destroying the Ukrainian language in occupied areas. It intentionally damages symbols of our identity, like the Ukrainian Writers’ Union. russia targets our identity, trying to erase it and our cultural heritage. However, their efforts are futile. A building may be destroyed, but the Ukrainian word endures.
Ukrainian cultural heritage faces daily losses that seriously impact national identity during the war.
The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine intends to ask UNESCO for help in creating a mechanism to preserve and protect the architectural integrity of streets in the capital’s historic centre, regardless of building status or ownership. This systemic approach aims to safeguard cultural heritage as an essential part of national identity and to establish a database for restoring historic buildings and structures.
