Bucha, Kyiv Oblast

Bucha (Ukrainian: Буча, Ukrainian pronunciation: [ˈbut͡ʃɐ]) is a city in Ukraine's Kyiv Oblast. Administratively, it is incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Its population is approximately 36,971 (2021 est.)[1]. Bucha Day is celebrated in the city between 11 and 13 September.[2]

Bucha
Буча
City
Bucha city park
Flag
Coat of arms
Bucha
Bucha
Coordinates: 50°32′55″N 30°13′15″E
CountryUkraine
OblastKyiv
RaionBucha
Area
 • Total26.57 km2 (10.26 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total36,971
 • Density1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi)
Area code(s)+380 4597
Websitewww.bucha-rada.gov.ua

The Battle of Bucha was part of the Kyiv offensive in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The battle lasted from 27 February 2022 to 31 March 2022 and ended with the withdrawal of Russian forces. Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk reported that Bucha had been fully retaken from Russian forces as of 31 March.[3] After Ukrainian forces regained control of Bucha, reports and testimonies of war crimes committed by the Russian military began to circulate. These war crimes have been collectively labeled the Bucha massacre.[4]

Etymology

According to a local historian from Bucha, Anatoliya Zborovsky, Bucha was named after a nearby river, the Bucha River, which referred to the strength of the river's currents in ancient times.

History
Church of Andrew the Apostle

The settlement arose with the construction of the Kyiv–Kovel railway in 1898 around a small train stop by the Bucha River. Bucha was a train stop of the Kyiv–Kovel railway similar to one in the modern city of Irpin. In close vicinity to the Bucha train stop, there was a small village called Yablunka, where there used to be a brick factory. Yablunka is mentioned in the 19th century Polish Geographic dictionary as the village of Jabłonka 37 versts away from Kyiv.[5]

During World War II, before the liberation of Kyiv from Nazi forces in December 1943, Bucha was the location of the headquarters of the 1st Ukrainian Front commanded by General Vatutin.[6]

Bucha was granted city status on February 9, 2006 (previously, Bucha was a town within the Irpin city municipality).[7]

Battle of Bucha
Main article: Battle of Bucha

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, heavy fighting took place in Bucha as part of the Kyiv offensive, resulting in severe Russian losses.[8] The city was captured by Russian forces on 12 March. Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk announced the recapture of Bucha by Ukrainian forces on 31 March 2022.[9]

On April 7, the Russian media Meduza published a drone video taken from March 23 to 30, 2022 in Bucha, proving that people were killed during the occupation of the town by the Russians.[10]

Bucha massacre
Main article: Bucha massacre

On 2 April 2022, news reports and videos emerged showing streets in Bucha covered with the bodies of men dressed in civilian clothes. Some of those found had their hands tied.[11] Among those killed were women and children. According to first estimations at least 280 bodies were found.[12] There was also evidence that Russian soldiers had systemically tortured, mutilated and executed many Ukrainians in the basement of a summer camp.[13] The event caused the Ukrainian government to call on the ICC to investigate whether or not Russia had committed war crimes.[14] On April 7, the mayor of Bucha, Anatoly Fedoruk, reported that almost 90% of the dead residents had bullet wounds, not shrapnel wounds.[15]

Geography

Bucha is located in Kyiv Oblast, 25 km west of Kyiv. It borders the cities of Irpin and Hostomel and the villages of Vorzel, Mykhailivka-Rubezhivka, and Blystavytsia.[16]

Places and people

There is a stadium in Bucha named Yuvileiny Stadium, where some matches were held in October 2016 for the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.[17]

There is a glass factory in Bucha. Built in 1946, it was closed in 2016. There is a small train stop called "Sklozavodska".

The town's main landmark is a 19th-century railway station located at the south edge of the city. Through the city runs a major highway M07.

Author Mikhail Bulgakov stayed in Bucha with his family during the summer season in his cottage.[18]

Twin towns

Bucha is twinned with:

  • Shtamm's Country House Ruins in Bucha
  • Bucha railway station
  • Bulgakov monument
  • City stadium "Yuvileinyi"
  • Afghanistan war memorial

References
  1. Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2021 / Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2021 (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
  2. "Bucha Day". bucha.com.ua.
  3. "Kyiv satellite town Bucha recaptured by Ukraine, mayor says". Yahoo! Finance. Reuters. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  4. "Almost 300 people buried in 'mass grave' in Bucha outside Kyiv: Mayor". Al Arabiya English. Agence France-Presse. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  5. "Jabłonka". Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland (in Polish). 3. Warszawa: Kasa im. Józefa Mianowskiego. 1882. p. 342.
  6. Генерал Ватутін був у Бучі [General Vatutin was in Bucha]. bucha.com.ua (in Ukrainian). 7 May 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  7. "Bucha". Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021.
  8. Tiefenthäler, Ainara; Willis, Haley; Cardia, Alexander (27 February 2022). "Videos show Russian losses on outskirts of Kyiv". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  9. "Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chronicle". LIGA.net. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  10. «Медуза» публикует важнейшую видеозапись, доказывающую, что мирных жителей в Буче убили в то время, когда в городе стояли российские войска [Meduza Releases Critical Video Proving Civilians Killed in Bucha While Russian Troops were Stationed in the City]. Meduza. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  11. "War in Ukraine: Street in Bucha found strewn with dead bodies". BBC News. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  12. "Almost 300 buried in mass grave in Bucha, near Kyiv: Mayor". Al Jazeera. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  13. Massie, Graeme (5 April 2022). "Ukraine says 'torture room' found after Russian troops withdrawal from Bucha". The Independent. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  14. "Ukraine: Retreat of Russian forces uncovers evidence of possible war crimes". El País. 4 April 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  15. «Практически 90% — это пулевые поражения, а не осколочные» Мэр Бучи рассказал, как в городе ищут тела погибших. Краткий пересказ его интервью Deutsche Welle [Almost 90% are bullet wounds, not shrapnel.” Mayor Buchi told how the bodies of the dead are being searched in the city. Brief retelling of his interview with Deutsche Welle]. Meduza (in Russian). 7 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  16. DNVP "Cartography". Bucha, city plan 1:10 000, Kyiv, 2010.
  17. "UEFA.com > UEFA European Under-19 Championship > 2017 > Matches > Qualifying round". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  18. Drawicz, Andrzej (2001). The Master and the Devil: A Study of Mikhail Bulgakov. pp. 8–9. ISBN 9780773475007.
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