The First Book Printed in Ukraine Goes Missing from Vernadsky National Library

Volodymyr Popyk, Director of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, said on May 16, 2016 that Apostolos, the first printed book in Ukraine, which was printed by Ivan Fedorov in 1574, went missing from the Section of Old Printed Books and Rare Editions of the Library, according to Radio Svoboda.

Popyk said it had happened on May 10, 2016, and related criminal proceedings have already been started. The theft was discovered by employees of the Library.

The employees testified that a man who said he was from a supervisory authority presented them with a list of books that he wanted to verify and asked them to give him the books and a room where he could work. After he left at the end of the working day, they discovered that one of the books, Apostolos, had gone missing.

According to the press service of the Main Office of National Police of Ukraine in Kyiv, law enforcement officers have already drawn an identikit picture of the thief: male in his late 30s, 170-172 cm tall, wide cheekbones, blond hair, medium-sized nose and lips, and lean physique.

If you recognize the suspect, please call 102 or +38(044)486-03-06, 486-56-02.

According to Oleksandr Morozov, Director of the Rare Books Museum at Nizhyn Gogol State University, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine earlier issued a warning about the possibility of the theft of old printed books.

This particular copy of Apostolos has great scientific and historical value. There are a total of about 90 copies of this book. The book contains the Acts and Letters of the Holy Apostles translated to the Old Church Slavonic language.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda