Western ambassadors join flashmob to support Vivat publishers after Russian attack – photo
The British and German ambassadors have joined a Ukrainian book-buying flashmob in support of Vivat, a publisher whose printing house was damaged by Russian strikes on Kharkiv on 23 May.
Source: European Pravda
Details: UK Ambassador Martin Harris explained to his followers that Russian missiles hit the printing house that publishes books for Vivat, and that Ukrainians had organised a flashmob in support.
Today Russian missiles hit the Faktor printing house in #Kharkiv , where the titles of @vivatbook are published. Ukrainians are out book-buying today in response, and so am I. Vivat Vivat! pic.twitter.com/kCZlq2YIAn
— Martin Harris (@MartinHarrisOBE) May 23, 2024
Quote: "Ukrainians are out book-buying [from Vivat – ed.] today in response, and so am I. Vivat Vivat!" Harris wrote, showing off the three books he purchased. The ambassador is fluent in Ukrainian and spoke entirely in Ukrainian during an interview with European Pravda.
German Ambassador Martin Jaeger tweeted a short post, "Vivat Kharkiv", and also shared a post by journalist Khrystyna Berdynskykh in which she recalls that Vivat published the diary of writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was killed by the Russians during the occupation. The diary was discovered by poet Victoria Amelina, who was later killed in a missile attack on Kramatorsk.
— Martin Jaeger (@MJaegerT) May 23, 2024
Austrian Ambassador Arad Benkö also tweeted about the printing house being hit by Russian missiles.
Today Russian missiles destroyed Faktor Druk printing house in Kharkiv, one of the largest printing complexes in Europe. Printers and workers killed and wounded, books burned.
— Arad Benkö (@AradBenkoe) May 23, 2024
The publishing house printed books from almost all Ukrainian publishers. pic.twitter.com/gvVhRyvJry
Several other Western experts and journalists joined the flashmob in solidarity with the publishers.
I'm holding a copy of my book 'Invasion' in solidarity with my Ukrainian publisher Vivat. This morning Russia attacked Vivat’s printing house in Kharkiv. Colleagues were killed and injured. My condolences. Buy Vivat titles & other Ukrainian books. Don't let Russian fascism win pic.twitter.com/R13Du8vFfm
— Luke Harding (@lukeharding1968) May 23, 2024
Background:
- The EU’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, has highlighted the need to speed up and increase the supply of military aid to Ukraine.
- Following the Russian bombings on Kharkiv and Liubotyn in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed the need for additional Patriot air defence systems.
- On 23 May, Russian forces launched about 15 strikes on civilian infrastructure in the city of Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast using S-300 or S-400 missiles, hitting a printing house in the city. The attack on Kharkiv claimed the lives of seven people and left 20 others injured.
- In the afternoon there was a further attack, with guided bombs hitting Kharkiv and Derhachi. 13 people are known to have been injured.
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