2022 massacre by Russian forces in Ukraine
The Bucha massacre (Ukrainian : Бучанська різанина , romanized : Buchanska rizanyna ; ‹See Tfd› Russian : Резня в Буче , romanized : Reznya v Buche ) was the mass murder of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war[ 12] by the Russian Armed Forces during the fight for and occupation of the city of Bucha as part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine . Photographic and video evidence of the massacre emerged on 1 April 2022 after Russian forces withdrew from the city.[ 13] [ 14]
According to local authorities, 458 bodies have been recovered from the town, including nine children under the age of 18; among the victims, 419 people were killed with weapons and 39 appeared to have died of natural causes, possibly related to the occupation.[ 1] [ 15] The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documented the unlawful killings, including summary executions , of at least 73 civilians in Bucha.[ 16] [ 3] Photos showed corpses of civilians, lined up with their hands bound behind their backs, shot at close range.[ 17] An inquiry by Radio Free Europe reported the use of a basement beneath a campground as a torture chamber .[ 18] [ 19] Many bodies were found mutilated and burnt,[ 20] [ 21] and girls as young as fourteen reported being raped by Russian soldiers.[ 20] [ 22] In intercepted conversations, Russian soldiers referred to these operations involving hunting down people in lists, filtration, torture, and execution as zachistka ("cleansing").[ 23] Ukraine has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate what happened in Bucha as part of its ongoing investigation of the invasion to determine whether a series of Russian war crimes or crimes against humanity were committed.[ 24] The massacre was described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as genocide .[ 25]
Russian authorities have denied responsibility and instead claimed that Ukraine faked footage of the event or staged the killings itself as a false flag operation,[ 26] and have claimed that the footage and photographs of dead bodies were a "staged performance".[ 27] These assertions by Russian authorities have been debunked as false by various groups and media organizations.[ note 2] Additionally, eyewitness accounts from residents of Bucha said that the Russian Armed Forces carried out the killings.[ 36] [ 37] [ 38]
^ a b "At least 458 Ukrainians died in the Bucha community as a result of the actions of the Russians" . babel.ua . 8 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022 .
^ The situation of human rights in Ukraine in the context of the armed attack by the Russian Federation, 24 February to 15 May 2022 (Report). OHCHR . 29 June 2022. para. 80. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022 .
^ a b "UN report details summary executions of civilians by Russian troops in northern Ukraine" . OHCHR . Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023 .
^ Appleba, Anne (25 June 2022). "Ukraine and the Words that Lead to Mass Murder" . The Atlantic . Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022 .
^ "Independent Legal Analysis of the Russian Federation's Breaches of the Genocide Convention in Ukraine and the Duty to Prevent" (PDF) . New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy; Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights . 27 May 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022 .
^ Nazarchuk, Irina (4 April 2022). 'Знищують за те, що українці'. Правники та дипломати наголошують на геноциді в Бучі ["They are being destroyed because they are Ukrainians". Workers and diplomats emphasize the genocide in Bucha]. Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022 .
^ "Kyiv mayor says Russian attacks in Bucha are 'genocide' " . The Times of Israel . AP. 3 April 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022 .
^ Buncombe, Andrew (4 April 2022). "Killings in Ukraine amount to genocide, Holocaust expert says" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022 .
^ Finkel, Eugene (5 April 2022). "Opinion | What's happening in Ukraine is genocide. Period" . The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022 .
^ Wright, George (13 April 2022). "Ukraine war: Is Russia committing genocide?" . BBC News . Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022 .
^ "Rada recognizes Russian army's actions in Ukraine as genocide of Ukrainian people" . Interfax-Ukraine . 14 April 2022. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022 .
^ Al-Hlou, Yousur; Froliak, Masha; Khavin, Dmitriy; Koettl, Christoph; Willis, Haley; Cardia, Alexander; Reneau, Natalie; Browne, Malachy (22 December 2022). "Caught on Camera, Traced by Phone: The Russian Military Unit That Killed Dozens in Bucha" . The New York Times . p. 4 min 54 s ff. ISSN 0362-4331 . Archived from the original on 24 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022 .
^ "Russia's Bucha 'Facts' Versus the Evidence" . Bellingcat . 4 April 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022 .
^ Litavrin, Maksim (5 April 2022). "Буча. Разбираем российские версии" [Bucha. Parsing Russian versions]. Медиазона (in Russian). Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022 .
^ "Accounting of bodies in Bucha nears completion" . Washington Post . 8 August 2022. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022 .
^ The situation of human rights in Ukraine in the context of the armed attack by the Russian Federation, 24 February to 15 May 2022 (Report). OHCHR . 29 June 2022. para. 80. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022 .
^ Patel, Mira (7 April 2022). "Explained: What happened in Ukraine's Bucha, and was it 'genocide'?" . The Indian Express . Mumbai. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022 .
^ Sachalko, Borys (5 April 2022). "Inside An 'Execution Cellar' In Ukraine" . Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022 .
^ Rainsford, Sarah (16 May 2022). "The children's camp that became an execution ground" . BBC News . Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022 .
^ a b Limaye, Yogita (11 April 2022). "Ukraine conflict: 'Russian soldiers raped me and killed my husband' " . BBC News . Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022 .
^ Stashevskyi, Oleksandr; Anna, Cara (6 April 2022). "In Bucha, Ukraine, burned, piled bodies among latest horrors" . ABC News . Associated Press. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022 .
^ Nsubuga, Jimmy (6 April 2022). "Women and girls as young as 14 report being raped by Russian soldiers" . Yahoo! News . Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022 .
^ "How Russian Soldiers Ran a "Cleansing" Operation in Bucha, Ukraine" . FRONTLINE . Retrieved 30 December 2023 .
^ "Retreat of Russian forces uncovers evidence of possible war crimes" . El País . 3 April 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022 .
^ Kinetz, Erika (4 April 2022). "War Crimes Watch: Hard Path to Justice in Bucha, Ukraine, Atrocities" . Frontline . PBS. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022 .
^ "Russia denies military forces killed Bucha civilians in Ukraine" . Al Jazeera English . 4 April 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022 .
^ "Russia denies killing civilians in Ukraine's Bucha" . Reuters . Reuters . 3 April 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022 .
^ Cite error: The named reference Bellingcat 4 April
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ Weber, Joscha; Wesolowski, Kathrin (5 April 2022). "Fact check: Atrocities in Bucha not 'staged' " . Deutsche Welle . Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022 .
^ "Bucha killings: Satellite image of bodies site contradicts Russian claims" . BBC News . 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022 .
^ Lajka, Arijeta; Tulp, Sophia (4 April 2022). "Video does not show staged bodies in Bucha" . AP News . Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022 .
^ "No, the discovery of bodies in Ukraine's Bucha was not 'staged' with 'actors' " . AFP Fact Check . Agence France-Presse . 6 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022 .
^ "Ukraine: Russian forces must face justice for war crimes in Kyiv Oblast" . Amnesty International . 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022 .
^ Cite error: The named reference NYT_satellite
was invoked but never defined (see the help page ).
^ de Abreu, Catalina Marchant (4 April 2022). "Truth or Fake - Debunking Russian claims that Bucha killings are staged" . France 24 . Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022 .
^ Lee, Joseph; Faulkner, Doug (6 April 2022). "Ukraine war: Bucha deaths 'not far short of genocide' – PM" . BBC News . Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022 .
^ Cite error: The named reference Reuters Russian retreat leaves trails
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^ Cite error: The named reference vottak2022
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