Ukraine’s Unwritten memorial project adds 20 names to list of literary figures killed by Russia

A Ukrainian memorial initiative documenting the country’s cultural losses now records 309 members of the literary community killed since Russia began its war against Ukraine in 2014. Among the latest additions are a poet and traditional music researcher killed by a Russian airstrike, a marine whose poetry was published posthumously, and a 23-year-old writer who left behind two unpublished prose projects.

The Unwritten Project (Nedopysani) announced the updated list in early November 2026. Its verified archive contained 289 names in February. Since then, volunteers have identified and added another 20 people, including poets, prose writers, translators, editors, and other literary figures. The additions reflect the project’s ongoing research rather than deaths occurring exclusively in recent months.

Among those newly added is Ihor Khodzhaniiazov, a poet, translator, linguist, musician, and researcher of traditional music. He was killed on June 28, 2026, while carrying out a combat mission, when a Russian guided aerial bomb struck his position. His wife, Olena Shykura, confirmed his death. Khodzhaniiazov held the rank of senior seaman in the Ukrainian military and researched the traditional music and cultural heritage of different communities, including the Karakalpaks.

The updated list also includes Vladyslav Loza, a poet, philosopher, and Ukrainian marine killed near Krynky in May 2024. In September 2026, Ukrainian publisher Dukh i Litera posthumously released his poetry collection “Бездоріжжя” (Bezdorizhzhia), featuring selected poems, including works written during his military service. Loza had previously received a distinction in the 2018 Smoloskyp literary competition.

Another newly recorded name is Yaroslav Ivanov, a Ukrainian soldier, musician, and writer known by his call sign Varnak. Ivanov wrote prose and recorded rap songs about his experiences of war, including tracks from his 2024 EP “Have a Good War!”. According to the Unwritten Project, he left behind a draft of one prose book and was working on a second, but did not live to publish either. He was killed on May 31, 2026, while carrying out a combat mission, at the age of 23.

Other newly identified literary figures include poet and folklorist Bohdan Pidhornyi; poets Oleksii Hrytsenko, Roman Ihnatenko, Dmytro Deineko, Artur Buriak, Stepan Stefurak, Dmytro Puiu, Vadym Ostapenko, Valentyn Yembryk, and Hryhorii Tkachyshyn; poet and editor Ilona Vovk; and poet and prose writer Oleksii Dehtiarov.

The additions also include prose writer and screenwriter Maksym Shvartsman, prose writer and translator Oleksandr Hrudii, publicist Alex Pineschi, prose writer Volodymyr Chornyi, and prose writer and essayist Liubomyr Medyk.

The Unwritten Project was founded by Olena Herasymiuk, a Ukrainian poet, veteran, and volunteer paramedic with the Hospitallers Medical Battalion, and Yevhen Lir, a soldier, volunteer, writer, and translator who also co-founded the cultural initiative and publishing house Your Underground Humanitarian Aid.

The project seeks to preserve not only the names of those killed by Russia but also their literary contributions. Volunteers search for manuscripts and other writings, reconstruct biographies, collect memories from relatives and friends, and document work that might otherwise remain unknown.

According to the founders, information comes from media reports, social media, archives, and personal testimonies. While some deaths can be documented soon after they are reported, others require extensive research. The team also investigates the lives of people who wrote poetry or prose but never had the opportunity to publish their work or gain recognition.

In March 2025, the project collaborated with the reading app LitCom on the audio anthology “ГолосиНедописані” (Holosy Nedopysani), featuring ten poems performed by their authors, including Maksym Kryvtsov, Victoria Amelina, Hlib Babych, Yurii Ruf, and Ihor Mysiak. Together with the artistic project Rytm, the team also created an art video using archival recordings of poems read by writers killed in the war.

On Aug. 31, 2026, the Unwritten Project launched a memorial website containing biographies, literary works, photographs, documents, and personal recollections. Visitors can search for individuals by name, type of literary activity, year of death, and other categories. The website was launched in beta, and volunteers continue to expand and verify its contents.

The initiative has also brought Ukraine’s literary losses to international audiences. As reported earlier, the “Wall of the Unwritten” was presented at Ukraine’s national stand during the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair. The installation displayed the names of literary figures killed by Russian forces and was supported by Cultural Forces, the Ukrainian Book Institute, and the OVO Literary Agency.

In February 2026, the project received the Memorial Action Award for its contribution to preserving the memory of people killed during Russia’s war. The recognition highlighted its work in verifying information, collecting texts and biographies, and keeping the contributions of deceased literary figures part of Ukraine’s cultural memory.

Efforts to preserve the literary legacy of Ukrainian writers killed by Russia also extend beyond the project. “Poems from the Loophole,” a collection by Ukrainian poet and soldier Maksym Kryvtsov, who was killed in January 2024, is scheduled for publication in English by Jantar Publishing in 2027. The translation is expected to bring his poetry to new international readers.