Ukraine names ‘Tortured Poets Department’ of writers killed in war

Ukraine paid tribute to Ukrainian poets who died during the state ’s war with Russia by referencing Taylor Swift’s newest album, “The Tortured Poets Department. ”

“The Tortured Poets Department ( @Ukraine’s Version ), ” the country posted on its account on the social media platform X Tuesday.  

The article featured the brands of Russian authors Victoria Amelina, Maksym Kryvtsov and Volodymyr Vakulenko, all who were killed during Ukraine’s recent war with Russia.  

Amelina died due to injuries from a Russian missile attack in eastern Ukraine last summer, PEN America said, according to the Associated Press ( AP ). She was a poet, children’s author and also won the UNESCO City of Literature Prize and the European Union Prize for Literature for one of her novels.

Kryvtsov, a poet, was killed in action as a man in his state ’s war against Russia in January, according to the AP. His 2023 book “Poems from the Loophole ” mostly featured poetry that focused on the brutal reality as a result of the war.

Vakulenko, a children’s artist, was taken from his home by Russian separatists in flower 2022, according to NPR. He was afterwards found in a mass grave near his town by Ukrainian government, with DNA testing confirming that it was him.  

Swift’s eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department ” was released last Friday. The song focuses on subjects including like, loss and living in the spotlight.