Bucha Massacre in Ukraine – One of the Most Terrible War Crimes in the History

But, Russian authorities denied all this and said that photographs and footage of dead bodies were all a staged performance by Ukrainian authorities. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Russian troops committed the most terrible war crimes since World War II.

Bodies with close-range gunshot wounds, bound hands, and signs of torture lay scattered on the outskirts of Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities accused the Russian forces of committing war crimes and leaving a scene from a horror movie behind.

Once the picture of bodies emerged, many European leaders condemned the cruelty and called for tough sanctions against Moscow. The horrific reports shook leaders worldwide, and Germany’s defense minister also suggested the European Union ban Russian gas imports. In addition, Ukrainian officials reported 410 dead bodies of civilians found in Kyiv-area towns.

Associated Press journalists noticed at least 21 bodies in Bucha, northwest of the capital. In addition, nine dead bodies were there around a site that Russian troops used as a base. These nine people were all in civilian clothes. They seemed to get killed from close range. Also, one got shot in the head, two had their hands tied behind their backs, and another’s legs were bound.

One resident refused to tell his name out of fear but said that Russian troops went to each building. They captured people hiding even in basements and checked their phones for evidence related to anti-Russian activity before shooting them. Another resident, Hanna Herega, said that Russian troops started shooting at her neighbor, who had gone outside to collect wood for heating.

Involvement of Russian Units

Ukrainian activists claimed that the 64th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade occupied Bucha while the horror took place. In addition, one unit from the Special Rapid Response Force (SOBR), two teams of Kadyrovite and Chechens, and another paramilitary riot-control force known as OMON were also involved.

Several Ukrainian groups had used intelligence sources to identify the 64th Motor Rifle Brigade as part of the occupation forces. Ukrainian Media also published the names of the Russian military based in Bucha during the occupation.

Reactions from Ukraine

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba mentioned these events were a “deliberate massacre.” He also compared Russia with ISIS and said it is worse than ISIS. In addition, he said that Russian forces were guilty of torture, murder, rape, and looting. Kuleba also requested the G7 countries to force “devastating” additional penalties.

Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko said in an interview with Bild that the happening in Bucha is a genocide. President Zelenskyy went to the area on April 4, 2022, to show the world the atrocities in Bucha. Zelenskyy said to the United Nations Security Council on April 5 that the massacre was only one example of what the Russian troops have been doing in Ukraine. 

Russian forces also used tanks to crush the cars of civilians for pleasure. He called for Putin to be accountable for all the military actions and for Russia to lose its position in the Security Council.