How many Ukrainians died in Bucha?

How many people died in Bucha?

March 31 is approaching – the 3d anniversary of Ukrainian city of Bucha’s liberation from Russian forces. Once again, there will be memories and a surge of media attention on the topic.

Most likely, as U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance – who seems to be “informed” about Ukraine through social media stories – would say, there will also be “propaganda tours.”

So, here are a few key points about what happened in Bucha three years ago. Viacheslav Shramovych investigates.

All figures come from the latest report by the Archival Department of the Bucha City Council.

1. Different sources provide varying figures for the number of victims in Bucha. This is because it’s important to distinguish which specific numbers are being discussed—those for the city of Bucha, the Bucha territorial community, or the larger Bucha district.

2. In the city of Bucha, between February 24, 2022, and March 31, 2022, a total of 381 people were killed. Of these, 281 died as a result of hostilities and executions, while 100 perished due to illness and lack of medical assistance. I remember reading in chats during the first days of the occupation about cancer patients and those in critical condition dying. There were also documented cases of people literally starving to death.

3. The Bucha City Territorial Community includes the city of Bucha, two towns—Vorzel and Babyntsi—and 11 surrounding villages: Blystavytsia, Buda-Babynetska, Voron’kivka, Havrylivka, Zdvyzhivka, Myrotske, Lubyanka, Rakivka, Syniak, Tarasivshchyna, and Chervone. All of these settlements were occupied by Russian forces.

4. In the Bucha community, 554 people were killed (396 due to hostilities, 158 from lack of medicine and medical care). An additional 28 residents of the community died in nearby locations, such as Irpin or Hostomel. This brings the total number of deaths among people from the Bucha community to 582.

5. The figure of 582 is likely the most accurate when discussing the “mass killings in Bucha.” This is because areas like Vorzel or Blystavytsia are, geographically, practically part of Bucha. They were occupied almost simultaneously, and the same war crimes were committed there by the Russian army. Bucha’s mayor, Anatolii Fedoruk, had previously mentioned a death toll of over 500.

6. In the Bucha district (which includes not only Bucha but also Irpin, Borodianka, Makariv, and many other settlements), approximately 1,200 people were killed, according to last year’s police data. This number is not final.

7. Of the 582 people killed in the Bucha community, 435 were men and 147 were women. Among them were 12 children, ranging from 1.7 to 15 years old. For example, three children—aged three, five, and twelve—were killed in Havrylivka.

8. To this day, 43 of the deceased remain unidentified. In some cases, relatives cannot provide DNA samples because they have left Ukraine, or identification is impossible due to severe damage to the bodies.

9. Thirty-eight civilians are still missing. Another 33 remain in Russian captivity, and one captive has died.

10. Deaths from starvation. These are very tragic cases. For example, one woman died on March 25 and left behind a lonely daughter who had a disability since childhood and could not take care of herself. Another case is described in the archive as follows: “Sisters Bochok Lyudmyla Oleksiivna, born on 22.01.1943 (sniper), Bochok Nina Oleksiivna, born on 14.02.1954 (starvation).” The NYT wrote about Lyudmyla, who was shot dead by a Russian sniper on the doorstep of her home, and her sister Nina, who had mental disabilities, back in 2022. It is hard to imagine how these women died, suddenly left in obscurity and loneliness in dark, cold houses with no way to save themselves.

11. A particularly strange and horrifying discovery was made in a private nursing home in Bucha after its liberation—six dead bodies were found, likely victims of starvation. Four of them were lying in the veranda near a swimming pool. In the house next door, the body of a woman who had hanged herself was also discovered. The New York Times covered this in the same article.

12. For the past three years, Russia has been spreading lies about Bucha, calling it a “staged event,” a “provocation,” claiming “bodies were placed on the streets,” or even that “they were moving.” Another of their absurd arguments is that the corpses supposedly “appeared” only after the Russian forces—those supposedly peaceful and “gentle” paratroopers—had “withdrawn” from Bucha. In reality, there are numerous photos from satellites and drones clearly showing the bodies of murdered Bucha residents in March 2022—when Russian troops were still very much present. As always, Russia denies the obvious. Perhaps this year there will be something new about Bucha, because the White House now believes that Putin is shooting down his Shahids himself, and in thousands of non-existent surrounded Ukrainian brigades in the Kursk region. Well, they say they believe it. But this is enough for Lavrov and Zakharova to create other incredible stories like “we did not attack Ukraine” and “our military clearly monitored human rights in Bucha.”

13. Meanwhile, Russian diplomats are whining that they don’t have lists of those killed in Bucha and are requesting them from the UN. In reality, these lists exist. Perhaps Ukraine should officially publish them.

14. Almost 30 Russian soldiers who committed murders in Bucha have been identified. According to cases published by the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office, these perpetrators frequently belonged to the 234th Air Assault Regiment of the 76th Division from Pskov. If Lavrov and Zakharova need names, they can speak with these Russian paratroopers—if they’re still alive. Or better yet, they could visit the memorial wall at the site of the mass grave in Bucha and personally read the names of the hundreds of residents murdered by their army.

These are just the figures from one month in Bucha, three years ago—numbers that represent hundreds of human lives and fates.

Does that qualify as a “propaganda tour”?

P.S. Thanks to Ihor Bartkiv and the Archive Department of the Bucha City Council for the data. It’s crucial that all of this is documented. Link to the article in the comments.

Ukraine Front Lines