Bucha Massacre: Russian War Crime Against Civilians
Before we turn to the Bucha Massacre, we want to briefly explain how this small town in Kyiv Oblast was occupied and later liberated.
So, the third day of the great war, and Russian troops march toward Kyiv. On their path, 25 kilometers from the capital, lies the city of Bucha. The Armed Forces of Ukraine smash the first occupier detachments on Vokzalna Street.
The Pidars* regroup and on March 4 completely occupy Bucha. They enter the city simultaneously from two sides — from Hostomel along Vokzalna Street and from the side of Vorzel along Kyivo-Myrotska and Yablunska Streets.
As a result of Ukrainian counterattacks during the liberation of the Kyiv region, Russians are forced to withdraw from Bucha. On March 31, 2022, Ukrainian troops entered Bucha, and on April 1, the city completely returned under Ukraine’s control.
The World Sees the Horror
On April 2, 2022, the entire civilized world was shocked. First on Twitter, then in the Washington Post, a video appeared. In it, a car drives along Yablunska Street and on both sides of the street lie dead bodies of civilians. Later, other photos and videos of the genocide committed by Russians began appearing on social media.
Many people with tied hands and traces of torture, though some were shot without any visible reason. Right in their cars or houses — including mothers with children.
Also, bodies of naked women were found in houses — obviously, the occupiers raped them before the murders.
Russians tried to burn some bodies — mainly those that had traces of rape and torture. Bodies with cut-off ears were found.
More than a month of Bucha’s occupation by Pidars was accompanied by kidnappings, torture, rape of civilians, including children, and looting. According to surviving eyewitnesses, the highest percentage of crimes fell on the last week of occupation.
The Scale of Atrocities
Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk reported the discovery of a mass grave where 280 people were buried. In another mass grave, 57 more bodies were buried.
Hundreds of bodies lie unburied, right on the streets. In total, 637 murdered civilian residents of the city are known.
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba called on missions of the International Criminal Court and international organizations to come to Bucha and other cities and towns of the Kyiv region to collect evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russians:
I call on the International Criminal Court and international organizations to send their missions to Bucha and other liberated cities and villages of the Kyiv region. In cooperation with Ukrainian law enforcement, they should collect all evidence of Russian war crimes as thoroughly as possible.
It was impossible to imagine such a thing in the 21st century, but it’s happening before our eyes. Russia is worse than ISIS. The Bucha massacre was deliberate. Russians intend to destroy as many Ukrainians as they can. We must stop and push them out.
Russian propaganda denies the genocide facts in every way, calling all videos and photos “staged”.
On April 4, the Main Intelligence Directorate published the names of Pidars guilty of genocide — from privates to colonels. The Pidar units that committed genocide were also published:
- 76th Air Assault Division
- 137th Parachute Regiment
- 331st Parachute Regiment
- 14th Special Forces Brigade
- 45th Special Forces Brigade
- 155th Naval Infantry Brigade
- 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade
- 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade
- 141st Special Motorized Regiment (Kadyrovtsy)
They were commanded by Major General Sergey Chubarkin and Colonel General Alexander Chaiko, who previously led Pidar units in Syria.
Justice Must Come
Investigating a crime of this scale may take years, but war crimes have no statute of limitations. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has already begun an investigation to hold Russia’s top leadership accountable.
A special tribunal is needed, similar to the one that sentenced Nazis after World War II. The Bucha massacre exposed the true nature of the Russian army — not liberators, but war criminals who deliberately targeted civilians. The world witnessed genocide in real-time, and those responsible must face justice.
*Pidar (pronounced “pidar”) – Ukrainian military slang for an enemy combatant. In radio communications, the word “Pidar” sounds shorter and clearer than “Enemy” especially under EW.
Related posts:
Russian Terrorist Attack Ternopil: Kh-101 Hits Civilians
Today’s Russian Terrorist Attack Ternopil once again exposed the rotten essence of the Orcs¹. When they fail to achieve their goals on the battlefield, they resort to openly [...]
November 8 Massive Strike: 458 Drones, 56 Missiles to Ukraine
Last night, the enemy worked out the bald fuhrer’s reflexes. He needed to show something after a series of successful strikes on Orcs’¹ military facilities, especially on the [...]