Ihor Bartkiv

GRANTEE
Head of the Archive Department of Bucha City Council

Documenting Ukraine Grants

An Online Archive of the Bucha Tragedy

Bucha became a place of no return in the Russo-Ukrainian war. The brutality with which the Russian soldiers entered the Kyiv region became a shock for the world, and for Ukrainians––a bitter pain that has not gone away for months and is unlikely to ever go away.
Currently, the archival department has begun collecting and systematizing photographic, video, and textual documentary evidence of the events of the enemy occupation and its consequences.

Plans include creating a "Russian military occupation of the Bucha community" collection, compiling a diary of the occupation and restoration of Bucha, photos and video stories, producing audio and video recordings of the stories of victims and their family members, employees of local government bodies, entrepreneurs, volunteers, military personnel and all those who have unique information about the events of the occupation and their further consequences for the Bucha region.

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  • Ihor Bartkiv: "The war must be documented—and someone has to do it"
    People who experienced the Russian occupation of Bucha and other towns in the Kyiv region in February-March 2022 are now trying to save themselves mentally rather than physically, seeking refuge from their memories. The rapid reconstruction of the city, which so captivated outside observers, is also a way to try to return to “pre-February 24” Bucha. The archivists and regional experts who lived through all these horrible events are forced to bring together their personal experiences and their professional duties. The employees of the Archive Department of the Bucha City Council, where documents of the National Archives are held, have spent every day since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion recording events on the spot, taking photographs, capturing video footage. Now the Archive Department is cataloging these materials and providing information to journalists, to legal experts who are investigating war crimes, and to other interested parties. The head of the Archive Department of the Bucha City Council, Ihor Bartkiv, discusses his experience in Bucha under occupation by Russian forces.
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