On the day marking the beginning of the fourth year in the bloodiest conflict seen in Europe since the Second World War, Ukraine came to solemn contemplation in the havoc wreaked since the beginning of the war. All over the country, memorial ceremonies were held to honour those who perished in the defence of the nation.

In the once quaint town of Bucha, located a few kilometres north of the Ukrainian Capital, these proceedings held particular significance. Amongst the first to encounter the wrath of Russian advances, its inhabitants spent four days under brutal occupation. Only after its liberation did the true extent of the horrors inflicted on its population come to light. 

The Kyiv suburb had become the scene of unspeakable tragedy, as the invading forces claimed the lives of 501 civilians in what has been reported as a cold blooded slaughter. The Bucha massacre, as it came to be known, illustrated the incredible violence of the conflict to an international community still coming to terms with the reality of the war’s early days. 

Three years later, the Bucha city cemetery is adorned with rows of colourful wreath, faded photographs and Ukrainian flags, marking the graves of fallen soldiers. In this ever-growing parcel of land in the outskirts of the city, relatives and friends gathered to mourn the deceased defenders. Braving the below freezing temperatures, groups of sorrowful mourners assembled in front of the final resting place of those they held dear, honouring their sacrifices and keeping their memory.

A similar scene takes place at the central church, behind which Russian soldiers buried the victims of their atrocities in a mass grave. A reverent sermon conducted by officials and representatives of the army took place at the recently unveiled memorial to the civilian victims of Barbary. Following mass, a minute of silence, afterwards only broken by the creaks of the snow-laden footsteps of the departing bereaved.