According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, book piracy remains one of the most pressing problems facing the Ukrainian publishing market and costs the industry hundreds of millions of hryvnias annually, said Oleksandra Koval, acting director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
“People need to realize that a pirated book is essentially a stolen product,” Koval said in the interview.
According to her, Ukrainian publishers and authors today face both the distribution of counterfeit printed books through marketplaces and social media, as well as the illegal distribution of electronic publications via Telegram channels and specialized websites.
Koval emphasized that the problem lies not so much in the imperfection of the legislation as in the lack of effective mechanisms to combat copyright infringements. She noted that the Ukrainian Book Institute and the National Intellectual Property Authority do not have the authority to shut down pirated resources on their own, and that rights holders themselves must initiate the process of protecting their rights.
“It is the author or publisher who must document the violation, contact law enforcement agencies, follow the case, and bring it to court. And this is complex and quite exhausting work, since every case of piracy is effectively a separate case,” she explained.
At the same time, Koval reported on the first positive changes in cooperation with online platforms. In particular, during a discussion at the “Book Arsenal,” a representative of OLX stated the company’s readiness to block the sale of pirated books on the platform.
According to the head of the UIC, other major marketplaces should also join this practice, as it is precisely the cooperation between digital platforms, the state, rights holders, and society that can yield results in the fight against the illegal book market.
In addition, the Ukrainian Book Institute, together with the Ukrainian Association of Publishers and Book Distributors, proposes creating a coalition of honest sellers and publishers and introducing special labeling for legal resources so that buyers can easily distinguish official sellers from pirates.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1175904.html
ALEXANDRA_KOVAL, piracy, pirated_book, Ukrainian Book Institute
In May 2026, “Express Insurance” paid out 54.5 million UAH in insurance claims, which is 44.5% more than during the same period in 2025, according to the company’s website.
Under comprehensive auto insurance (CASCO) policies, clients were reimbursed UAH 30.9 million, which is 12.2% higher than the figure for the same period last year. The volume of payments under mandatory auto liability insurance (MALI) amounted to UAH 23.3 million, which is nearly 2.4 times more than during the same period last year.
For other types of insurance, clients were reimbursed 388,400 UAH.
The company also notes that the dynamics of auto insurance payouts vary depending on the type of insurance. In CASCO, the number of settled claims in May 2026 was 5% lower than in May of last year, yet the volume of payouts increased by 12.2%. This discrepancy is linked to an increase in the average cost of settlement, particularly due to rising prices for repair work, spare parts, and materials.
In MTPL, the increase in payouts was influenced by both an 11% rise in the number of settled claims and higher compensation costs.
Express Insurance LLC was founded in 2008 with the participation of the leader of the Ukrainian automotive market—Ukravto Group. The company specializes in auto insurance, has over 300 insurance agents throughout Ukraine, and is actively expanding its network of partner service stations. Currently, the number of partner service stations exceeds 100.
auto insurance, CASCO, EXPRESS INSURANCE, insurance payouts, MTPL
According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, about 100 translations of Ukrainian books will be published in 2026 in 33 countries around the world under the Translate Ukraine translation support program, said Oleksandra Koval, acting director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
“This year, under the Translate Ukraine program alone, about 100 translations of Ukrainian books will be published in 33 countries around the world. And in total, since the program’s inception in 2020, we have supported about 300 translations,” Koval said.
According to her, the sale of translation rights for Ukrainian books is currently one of the most successful avenues for Ukrainian literature to enter the international market.
Koval noted that Ukraine remains a key topic for the international cultural community, which contributes to growing interest in Ukrainian authors and their works abroad.
She emphasized that one of the most significant changes in recent years has been the perception of Ukraine as a distinct and independent participant in the international book market.
“Ukraine has finally become a distinct and independent entity in the international book market. It is no longer perceived as part of the Russian-speaking sphere and is increasingly associated with its own language, literature, and culture,” Koval emphasized.
According to the Ukrainian Book Institute, the database of translations of Ukrainian literature already includes over 1,500 titles in various languages of the world. The works of Andriy Kurkov, Serhiy Zhadan, Yuriy Andrukhovych, Oksana Zabuzhko, and the “Agrafka” creative workshop have the most translations. Among the new wave of authors who are actively attracting the attention of foreign publishers and readers, Koval highlighted Artem Chapay, Oleksandr Mykhed, Yevheniia Kuznetsova, Sofiia Andrukhovych, and Yuliia Ilyukha. At the same time, she recalled the significant contribution to the promotion of Ukrainian literature abroad made by the writers Viktoria Amelina and Volodymyr Vakulenko, who died during the war.
At the same time, one of the main challenges for the further promotion of Ukrainian literature abroad remains the shortage of translators from the Ukrainian language. According to Koval, demand for Ukrainian books is growing faster than the number of specialists capable of providing high-quality translations, and many translators already have orders booked several years in advance.
The head of the UIC also noted that international book fairs play an important role in promoting Ukrainian authors, where Ukrainian publishers negotiate new translations, contracts, and partnerships.
As reported, book piracy remains one of the biggest problems facing the Ukrainian publishing market and costs the industry hundreds of millions of hryvnias in losses every year.
Shareholders of PJSC “Ukrainian Fire and Insurance Company” (Kyiv) plan to approve, at a meeting on July 13, 2026, the amount of annual dividends for common registered shares based on the company’s performance in 2025, totaling UAH 40 million.
As the company reported in the disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC), the decision to pay dividends was adopted by the annual remote general meeting of shareholders (minutes dated May 8, 2026).
The dividend payment is planned to be made in several installments (proportionally to all shareholders within a total 6-month period from the date of the decision).
The first installment (37.5% of the total amount): UAH 15 million by August 5, 2026; the second – UAH 15 million by October 13, 2026; the third installment – 25% of the total amount, or UAH 10 million, by November 7, 2026.
PJSC “UPSK” was registered in 1993. It specializes, in particular, in motor vehicle insurance, financial risk insurance, travel insurance, property insurance, cargo insurance, and baggage insurance.
According to the company, Oleksandr Mykhailov owns 99.999% of the insurer’s shares.
According to the NBU, the company ranks 16th among Ukraine’s non-life insurers in terms of premiums collected in 2025.
In January–May 2026, Ukraine’s metallurgical enterprises saw a 6.2% decline in revenue from ferrous metal exports compared to the same period last year—down to $1.184435 billion from $1.262746 billion.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, ferrous metals accounted for 6.73% of total export revenue during this period, compared to 7.45% in January–May 2025.
In May 2026, revenues from ferrous metal exports amounted to $291.757 million, compared to $259.544 million in April.
As reported, Ukraine’s metallurgical enterprises increased revenue from ferrous metal exports by 7.85% in 2025 compared to the previous year—to $3.339487 billion. Ferrous metals accounted for 8.25% of total export revenue for the year.
Approximately 7 million hryvnias per year are currently allocated for programs to promote reading and support related projects in Ukraine, which does not meet the industry’s actual needs, said Oleksandra Koval, acting director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“As for the activities of the Ukrainian Book Institute specifically, the main problem remains insufficient funding. We have about 7 million hryvnias per year for programs to promote reading and support related projects. This allows us to support only 15–20 projects across the country. For a country the size of Ukraine, this is extremely little,” Koval said.
According to her, real change in the field of reading requires not dozens, but thousands of events each year, which should be held in libraries, schools, communities, at festivals, and book fairs.
Koval emphasized that one of the key challenges remains Ukrainians’ access to books, especially in small towns and villages.
She also noted that the systematic updating of library collections should become an important focus of state policy.
“We are convinced that new books are the strongest draw for libraries. That is precisely why Ukraine needs a systematic update of its library collections. In my opinion, libraries should receive at least one million new books each year, and ideally—around three million copies,” said the head of the UIC.
According to her, only under such conditions will the changes be noticeable to readers across the country, particularly in small towns and villages.
As reported, Ukrainians have spent over 3.5 billion hryvnias on book purchases under state support programs since late 2021, and in 2026, the Translate Ukraine program plans to publish about 100 translations of Ukrainian books in 33 countries worldwide. Book piracy causes losses to the Ukrainian market amounting to hundreds of millions of hryvnias.
BOOKS, CULTURE, OLEXANDRA_KOVAL, READING, UKRAINIAN_INSTITUTE_OF_BOOKS
