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Bucha Massacre: Ukrainian Police Reveal Russian Soldiers Behind Atrocities

Ukraine’s National Police have successfully identified the 12 Russian paratroopers responsible for the cold-blooded killings of 16 civilians at a key intersection in the city of Bucha during the Russian occupation in March 2022. The announcement comes as the Ukrainian authorities continue their investigation into the brutalities committed by Russian soldiers against civilians.

Following the liberation of Bucha, Ukrainian police reported finding the bodies of 422 murdered civilians within the city by 31 March 2024. This number continues to rise as investigations persist, with a total of 1,190 bodies discovered throughout the Bucha district. The official tally is expected to increase further, as 514 residents of Kyiv Oblast remain missing, and 180 bodies are still unidentified.

The majority of victims discovered in Bucha were subjected to brutal torture. Many bodies were found in mass graves or scattered across the streets, their hands bound and shot at close range. Among the victims were men and women, aged between 14 and 69, who were attempting to evacuate, find food, or search for family members. These civilians were shot at the intersection of Vokzalna and Yablunska streets in Bucha between 5 and 9 March 2022.

The victims include several individuals whose photographs, including a woman with red nail polish and a female volunteer burned alive in a minibus, became symbols of the Russian atrocities. The female volunteer’s tragic death has especially resonated worldwide, highlighting the shocking nature of the crimes committed by Russian forces.

Among the individuals identified, Artyom Tareyev, the commander of the unit from the 234th Airborne Assault Regiment based in Pskov, has been issued a notice of suspicion for giving the orders that led to the murders. Tareyev is alleged to have instructed his soldiers to “open fire on anyone who came into their field of view” at the intersection, where civilians were trying to escape the horrors of the occupation. Furthermore, Tareyev personally supervised the operation, overseeing the establishment of firing positions and organizing troop rotations. If convicted, Tareyev faces the possibility of life imprisonment.

The Ukrainian authorities are working closely with the International Criminal Court (ICC), providing crucial evidence that could contribute to future legal proceedings aimed at holding Russia’s military and political leadership accountable for their crimes. The ongoing investigation into the Bucha atrocities is part of Ukraine’s broader efforts to bring justice for the civilians murdered during the Russian invasion.

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