Bucha is a city in the Kyiv region of Ukraine, located approximately 25 kilometers northwest of Kyiv. Before the full-scale invasion, it had a population of around 36,000 people.
According to the NHC’s Documentation and Accountability Hub, , at least 282 victims, 246 witnesses, and 173 suspects of crimes committed during the 33 days of occupation in Bucha have been documented in the Coalition 5 A.M.’s database. The main recorded violations against civilians include:
- 238 cases of killings
- 65 cases of illegal deprivation of liberty
- 36 cases of torture
- 34 cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence
It is important to emphasize that these figures represent only documented and analyzed cases. The real number of crimes is significantly higher.
At the same time, the current U.S. administration is actively pushing Ukraine to concede parts of the Donetsk region in order to meet the aggressor’s conditions for ending the war. However, after witnessing the atrocities committed during just 33 days of occupation in Bucha, we can already have a clear picture of what has been happening in cities that have remained under occupation for four or even twelve years or what would happen once Ukraine leaves those territories.
We reaffirm our support for Ukraine’s sovereign right to self-determination and territorial integrity and will continue to work in close partnership with Ukrainian organizations to document and preserve evidence of atrocities that the Russian authorities are seeking to conceal.