Ukraine Charges 34 Russians for Bucha War Crimes
- Demian Shevko I The New Voice of Ukraine
- Mar 30
- 2 min read
Author: Demian Shevko
As of the end of March 2025, Ukrainian police investigators have solved 72 civilian murders committed by Russian troops in Bucha and have charged 34 Russian soldiers in connection with war crimes in Kyiv Oblast, the National Police of Ukraine told NV.
Of those charged, 23 individuals face charges related to murder, while 11 others have been accused of cruel treatment of civilians.
The data covers the period starting Sept. 27, 2023, when Ukraine’s National Police received official authorization to investigate crimes committed by Russian forces during the occupation of Kyiv Oblast in 2022.
The figures do not include cases investigated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Kyiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, or other agencies.
Over the past year, Ukrainian law enforcement has identified more than 1,000 service members of Russia’s 234th Air Assault Regiment, part of the 76th Air Assault Division; around 1,000 troops from the tactical group of the 656th Operational Regiment (Military Unit 6720, Rubtsovsk, Altai Krai); about 350 soldiers from the 27th Separate Special Purpose Unit “KUZBASS” (Military Unit 6607, Kemerovo); and around 200 members of consolidated OMON and SOBR riot police units from Belgorod, Vladimir, Kaluga, and Yaroslavl oblasts.
Police have formally solved 72 murders committed in Bucha. Criminal cases have been submitted to court against 17 suspects accused of killing 12 people. One of these cases is proceeding in person, while all others remain at the trial stage.
In late January 2025, the National Police of Ukraine unveiled a new Strategy for Managing the Investigation of International Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict. The document was developed with input from the Prosecutor General’s Office, judicial authorities, international experts, and civil society groups, with support from the Council of Europe.
The strategy outlines the factors that affect the investigation of war crimes in Ukraine and proposes a five-year roadmap built on both Ukrainian experience and international standards. It sets out six core objectives, with two marked as top priorities for 2025: holding Russian military commanders accountable and advancing technological innovation in war crime investigations.
March 31 marks the third anniversary of the liberation of Kyiv Oblast from Russian occupation. During the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the city of Bucha was under Russian control for 33 days.
During that time, 554 people were killed across the Bucha community — which includes the city itself, the towns of Vorzel and Babyntsi, and 11 surrounding villages. Of those killed, 396 died as a result of active combat. Ukrainian law enforcement has documented numerous cases of murder, torture, and other forms of cruel treatment of civilians by Russian troops.
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