The massacre of Bucha was a massacre of civilians perpetrated by Russian troops during the occupation of Bucha (Kiev region) in March 2022.

What happened?

• At the beginning of the war, Russian troops took Bucha and occupied it for over a month.
• After the city was liberated on 31 March 2022, Ukrainian soldiers and journalists uncovered horrific crimes:
  • hundreds of dead civilians on the streets, in courtyards, in mass graves.
  • Bodies with signs of torture, tied hands and traces of gunshot wounds to the head.
  • Rapes, including by children and women.
  • Executions of civilians who were simply trying to escape.

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A Status Thing of my childhood

How many victims?

According to the Ukrainian authorities, more than 450 people were killed in Bucha, most of them civilians.

I am deliberately not posting pictures here. If you want, you can easily find them by searching for ‘Bucha 2022’.

Who is responsible?

Russian military units, in particular the 64th motorised rifle brigade, which Putin gave the title ‘guard brigade’ after the Bucha killings.

Why does it matter?

• The massacre in Bucha has become a symbol of Russian war crimes.
• The massacre of Bucha was extensively documented by journalists, human rights activists and international organisations.
• The world has condemned Russia’s crimes, and Ukraine is calling for a fair tribunal.

According to the latest available information, Bucha is actively recovering from the severe damage caused during the Russian occupation. Local authorities, together with international organisations, are working to rebuild housing, infrastructure and utilities, and investigations are ongoing into war crimes committed during the hostilities. Events are held both in the city and outside its borders to commemorate the victims of the tragedy.

Bucha is one of the most gruesome testimonies to Russia’s genocidal policies in Ukraine.

Additional information

Photo: Spring 2022. Region: Kyiv.
Created: 31 March 2022.
Source: Own work
Author: Flamberge-Flamberge