A searing, deeply human portrait of a nation reshaped by war. By the winner of the Orwell Foundation’s Special Prize 2026

In this new volume of Andrey Kurkov’s war diaries, Ukraine’s greatest living writer chronicles from his home in Kyiv and from journeys all over the country – capturing moments of horror, resilience, absurdity and grace with an unmatched clarity – what has become the third year of the full-scale Russian invasion.

From the home front to the trenches, Kurkov documents the rhythms of survival – the quiet rituals, unlikely joys, unexpected humour and appalling losses – in an intimate and moving record of national endurance.

Three Years on Fire is a luminous act of remembrance from a writer whose voice stands witness to everything Ukraine has lost – and everything it refuses to give up.