‘Do not forget this humanity in the face of such suffering’: Culture writer Kate Tsurkan on keeping Ukrainian literature alive during war

In times of war, there are stories that never get told. But there are also stories that are shared yet never heard. This is true in Ukraine, where Ukrainian-led narratives about the country don’t always find a wider audience. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, many of the nation’s authors have joined the armed forces or have begun working as journalists on the front line, sharing distinctly Ukrainian stories.

“You get insight into [the] Ukrainian mentality”, says Kate Tsurkan, a reporter at The Kyiv Independent who writes about the nation’s culture and history. In addition to her journalistic work, Tsurkan is a translator who has brought numerous books and essays to Western publications and international audiences. Much of Tsurkan’s work has centred on spotlighting the country’s literature scene.

Tsurkan joined Monocle’s Georgina Godwin to talk about what literature reveals about her country’s past and present, why culture still matters in wartime and three book recommendations that reveal the spirit of Ukraine’s people.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length. To listen to the full interview, tune in to Monocle on Saturday on Monocle Radio. 

What has changed most in how Ukrainian literature is seen abroad since the war began?
It’s impossible not to write about the war, about what is happening. Many authors are serving in the armed forces and those who are not are either volunteering or working in some capacity as a journalist [on the front lines] to make sure that the stories that need to be told are being [shared]. Not just for Ukrainian audiences but for the world as well.

Ukrainian literature has been deeply shaped by history – not just at present but for centuries. What perspectives does literature give us that we don’t get from the news?
You get insight into [the] Ukrainian mentality, into the motivations that we have. The full-scale war started in 2022 but Russian aggression against [our country] has been going on for many years – centuries even. We have a project at The Kyiv Independent called The Hidden Canon. One of the authors we talked about was Panteleimon Kulish, who wrote a historical novel set in the 19th century called The Black Council, which is about when the Cossacks – Ukrainian warriors – were trying to elect a new leader. Russia tried to interfere and, unfortunately, it succeeded. In the 19th century, authors in Ukraine were trying to understand what would cause them to fail and how they could try to avoid these mistakes. Even today, Ukrainian writers are reading [the works of] all of those authors [and] reflecting on very similar themes. It’s not just related to Ukraine – it’s about universal questions of human dignity, freedom and the right to choose your own future.

You’ve described the Ukrainian literary scene as ‘healthy’, even during wartime. What does that mean in practice?
There is a great push to speak only about themes – that you should not be afraid to have discussions. It’s quite different from Russia, where people risk arrest for saying something that might be seen as against the state. You can and should talk about everything because the goal is to have a healthy and functioning democracy.

People are continuing to create art despite the war. There are poetry readings, theatre [productions], festivals. Tell us more about these platforms and about the Ukrainian writers who you’ve helped to bring to major Western outlets.
It’s great that there is a continuing interest in [our nation’s] literature, not only within the country but abroad. In October [last year], I was at the Frankfurt Book Fair and we held panels about wartime non-fiction and how it’s perceived in Ukraine. We also spoke about how it’s perceived abroad, the purpose of writing non-fiction about the war and how it offers something different from news, which is quite immediate. One very important example is the book Bakhmut by Myroslav Laiuk, which is available in Ukrainian and English. Myroslav is a very famous writer and professor of creative literature but since 2022, he has been reporting from the frontlines. During the worst battles for Bakhmut in 2023, he was there talking to soldiers, volunteers, civilians and even Russian prisoners of war who were stuck there to try to paint a human portrait of the horrible things that were happening.

You were close to Victoria Amelina, the journalist, novelist and war-crimes researcher, who was killed following a Russian missile attack in July 2023. When you think about her legacy, what matters most?
Unfortunately, our [relationship] was just beginning when Russia killed her and we didn’t have a chance to build our friendship. But what I can say about Victoria in the short time that I knew her is that she was an incredibly brave and passionate person who was as delicate as she was fierce. She could inspire trust in so many people. That’s what makes a great storyteller, even more so during wartime. Her desire to see justice is very important. Others believe that war-crimes researchers should not get too close to their subjects but she told me privately, and I believe [she also wrote] in her posthumous book, Looking at Women Looking at War, that she was against that. She wanted to build deep connections with these people. This is very important – do not forget this humanity in the face of such suffering.

As the war moves into yet another year, what do you want readers abroad to understand about Ukrainian culture?
There is a lot of debate now about the word “resilience” and whether it’s demeaning or not. More than four years into the full-scale conflict, I think the proper term is “realistic” – that Ukrainians are realistic about what is going on. They do not let the weight of this war crush them because you can’t [let it]. We published a great op-ed at The Kyiv Independent by writer Andriy Lyubka. He is another author who has joined the Armed Forces and he talks about the need to “Ukrainise” Europe and that Europeans can learn from this kind of vitality. Ukrainians have to want to make their country better; they want to protect their homes and not give in to fear and uncertainty. This is one of the most important messages about the Ukrainian mentality and [it is] something that everyone can learn from.