Kiev.— Already the rutted roads have been repaved and damaged houses are gradually being repaired, but the scenes that emerged from this town near Kiev a year ago, after it was liberated from Russian forces, have forever linked its name. with the savagery of war.
With the passage of time, the inhabitants of this suburb affirm that “the pain is diminishing” and that they must “continue living”, despite the collective trauma they suffered.
Bucha, on the northwestern outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, was occupied by Russian forces for about a month. It was taken while they were advancing towards kyiv at the start of the invasion of Ukraine which began in late February 2022.
When they withdrew, they left behind scenes of horror.
Vokzalna Street, where heavy fighting took place, is now filled with bulldozers and dump trucks, and masons working to rebuild houses and roads.
In this artery, a column of Russian armored vehicles was destroyed during the battle waged by the Ukrainian forces to reconquer the area.
The remains of the military vehicles were charred at the site when Russian troops withdrew on March 31, 2022, after their offensive to take kyiv failed. Many of the houses lining the street were destroyed.
Russian massacre
Bodies of civilians lay where they had fallen, next to their bicycles, in cars, on the edge of the streets, in patios, buildings and houses.
“There were bodies of people dressed as civilians, women, older men, young men” scattered in the streets, said Associated Press photographer Vadim Ghirda, one of the first journalists to enter Bucha just after the withdrawal of Russian troops. .
Many appeared not to have been dead very long, almost as if they were sleeping, Ghirda added.
A team of AFP journalists found the bodies of about 20 people in civilian clothes on April 2, 2022. One of them had her hands tied behind her back.
In the days that followed, AP photographers documented scenes of devastation in Bucha.
These images shocked the world and were described by the Ukrainian government as an example of summary executions of civilians constituting war crimes.
Shocked residents came out of their basements to find destroyed tanks and military vehicles abandoned in the streets.
More bodies were found inside the houses and others were dug up from a mass grave. In the weeks and months that followed, hundreds of bodies were discovered, including those of children. Not all have been identified.
‘We will not forgive’
The President of Ukraine affirmed this Friday (03/31/23) that his country will “never” forgive Russia for the occupation of Bucha.
“It is a symbol of the atrocities of the army of the occupying country. We will never forgive. We will punish every culprit,” said Volodymyr Zelensky.
