1,590 Bodies Found in Kyiv Region: Stories of Bravery and Occupiers' Crimes.

War Crimes in the Kyiv Region

According to UATV: Evidence of war crimes committed by Russian forces during their occupation has been documented in the Kyiv region, particularly in the village of Termakhivka and near the Bucha Reservoir. Termakhivka, located just a few dozen kilometers from the Chernobyl exclusion zone, saw Russian troops enter on February 26, 2022, when the village had around 400 residents. That same day, five people were killed in a shelling attack, a devastating blow to the local community. This area was among the hardest hit during the early months of the full-scale invasion.

Local residents who endured the occupation tried to free their children from Russian captivity. In March 2022, Kostiantyn Hudaauskas organized several evacuation trips to bring people out of Vorzel, Irpin, and Bucha. Around the same time, Russian forces also occupied the settlement of Demydiv in the Kyiv region, adding further fear and anxiety to the lives of the local population.

At the start of the invasion, the '12 Months' zoo was seized by Russian troops. Despite the horrific conditions, locals and volunteers continued to support one another. According to law enforcement, 1,590 bodies were discovered across the Kyiv region, underscoring the brutality and scale of the war crimes committed.

Testimonies from Local Residents

Reflecting on these events, Liudmyla Skorokhod said:

“They took everything: phones, a computer, they found some USB drives...”

These words highlight how crucial personal belongings became for people under occupation. Another witness, Tetiana Bohynska, described a moment when weapons were aimed at them:

“We hadn’t even reached the intersection when suddenly an armored personnel carrier pulled up and they pointed their rifles at us.”

Facing a brutal dilemma, Kostiantyn Hudaauskas expressed his feelings: “It’s very hard to make a choice, very hard to choose when a crowd of people comes and they get on their knees and beg.” These accounts reveal both the courage of local residents and the cruelty they endured throughout the occupation.

Meanwhile, Mykhailo Pinchuk described the situation at the zoo: “You definitely can’t hold a rhino, and there was a stainless steel water dispenser—it tore it off.” These details add further context to the events that unfolded during the occupation.

Bringing these facts to light is a crucial step in understanding the tragic experiences of Kyiv region residents during the war. The situation in Termakhivka and surrounding villages stands as a testament to the heroism of people who, despite all hardships, tried to support one another in those difficult times.

These testimonies underscore the scale and brutality of the events that took place in the Kyiv region during the Russian occupation. They not only reflect individual tragedies but also point to systematic war crimes that demand an international response. It is essential that these facts are documented and recognized, as they may become part of future investigations and legal proceedings against those responsible for war crimes.