Nearly 50% of Ukrainian readers haven’t bought books in the last three months, while 34% have purchased only print books, according to a study by Gradus Research commissioned by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.
In particular, the study also showed that printed books remain the most common reading format. Specifically, 58% of respondents said they choose printed books, 44% choose e-books, 35% choose audiobooks, and 3% found it difficult to answer.
Respondents who prefer printed books were asked where they obtained them. Of these, 47% said they used books they already had at home, 43% said they bought new ones, 31% borrowed them from friends or acquaintances, 19% received them as gifts, 19% bought used copies, 17% borrowed them from a public library, 7% borrowed them from a school library, and 5% used a corporate library.
Among respondents who bought books, 40% said they did so at an online bookstore, 33% at a brick-and-mortar bookstore, 27% on a publisher’s website, 24% at a market or bazaar, 18% on a marketplace (e.g., Rozetka, Prom, Kasta, etc.), 17% at a book fair or festival, 14% at another brick-and-mortar store, 13% at a supermarket, and 4% each via Instagram or Telegram.
When broken down by age, the study shows that teenagers buy print books from online stores, while people aged 55 and older still prefer book markets.
The study revealed that nearly half of Ukrainian readers have not purchased any books in the last three months. Specifically, 38% said they had purchased print books (34%—exclusively print), 8% had purchased e-books, 5% had purchased audiobooks, 48% had not purchased any books, and 6% found it difficult to answer.
When asked how their spending on books for leisure had changed over the past year, 13% said it had increased, 39% said it had remained almost the same, 37% said it had decreased, and 12% found it difficult to answer.
When broken down by age, the survey indicates that young people are increasing their spending on books, while older readers are doing the opposite. Specifically, 29% of teenagers aged 14–17 and 21% of young adults aged 18–24 spent more on books than in the previous year.
The comprehensive study “Reading in Ukraine: Behavior, Motivation, and Engagement Tools” was conducted by Gradus Research with support from the “Believe in Yourself” Foundation. It included 41 in-depth interviews (March–May 2026) and a survey of 2,200 respondents aged 14 and older (August 17–25, 2026). The survey did not cover temporarily occupied territories or areas of active hostilities.
As previously reported, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine initiated the national reading survey in the spring of 2026. The first insights from the qualitative study were presented on May 30 at the “Book Arsenal.”
The quantitative study, published on October 20, showed that 59% of Ukrainians had read or listened to books at least several times a month over the past year, 22% read several times a year or less, and 13% had not read a single book in the past 12 months.
book market, Gradus Research, MINISTRY OF CULTURE, printed books, READING
A new study has found that most parents and caregivers believe that families should protect children’s rights, but they lack a clear understanding of those rights and may sometimes violate them.
KYIV, 3 June 2025. Almost all parents and caregivers recognize their key role in protecting their children’s rights and helping them realize their rights, but more than a third admit that they sometimes violate these rights, according to a new UNICEF survey.
The findings, released to mark the start of International Month of Fatherhood, also show that 89% of parents surveyed do not have a clear understanding of what children’s rights are under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which outlines children’s civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
“The responses of parents in our survey show that they are determined to better protect their children’s rights and provide them with all the necessary support and care,” said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine. “At the same time, they are genuinely concerned about how their actions affect their children in such stressful times.”
The teenagers who participated in the survey indicated that their rights were most often violated through psychological or physical abuse, disregard for their opinions, or violations of their privacy.
“We must do everything possible to protect and ensure the rights of children everywhere, including at home,” said Daria Gerasymchuk, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Children’s Rights and Child Rehabilitation. “Parents and caregivers are going through extremely difficult times and are trying to cope with the consequences of the war, so we are committed to doing everything we can to help them raise their children.”
Parents may sometimes violate their children’s rights, but 67% of adolescents aged 14 to 18 said they would turn to their parents for protection if their rights were violated, and another 24% consider teachers to be their second most important source of support.
“Parents are the main source of support for a child’s development and well-being, but it is difficult for them to cope on their own, especially in times of war,” said Mr Mammadzade. “A strong foundation for children’s rights is laid at home, but it must be reinforced by policies and services that help parents and caregivers to care for the next generation.”
Other key findings from the survey show that:
UNICEF is launching a campaign to strengthen knowledge about children’s rights and calls for children to be respected and empowered to defend their rights.
Notes for editors:
The digital survey, “Perceptions of children’s rights: knowledge, attitudes, and implementation experiences in Ukrainian families,” includes responses from 600 men and women aged 19 to 55 who have children, as well as 400 adolescents aged 14 to 18. The survey was conducted throughout Ukraine by Gradus Research.
The full report is available here.
Media contacts:
Tobi Fricker
Communications and Advocacy Officer
UNICEF Ukraine
Tel: +38-050-245-67-31
Email: tfricker@unicef.org
