Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, arrived in Kyiv, as confirmed by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who welcomed her at the railway station.
This visit coincides with the anniversary of the tragic events in Bucha, where Kallas and other European ministers gathered to honor the memory of those affected. Sybiha expressed gratitude, stating, “Welcome to Kyiv, dear European friends, Kaja Kallas and colleagues from Europe! Today we commemorate the somber anniversary of the Bucha tragedy. The horrific images of civilians being killed deeply shocked the entire world.”
He emphasized that the strong European presence sends a clear message regarding the inevitable accountability for Russian crimes. Sybiha remarked, “This visit is a sign of true courage and solidarity with Ukraine.”
The Foreign Minister also noted that this week marks four years since the liberation of Kyiv Oblast and other regions occupied by Russia in 2022, highlighting the heroism of Ukrainian defenders.
Background on Bucha’s Occupation and Liberation
Bucha was under occupation for 33 days, beginning on February 27, 2022, when Russian forces invaded the town. On the same day, a missile struck a residential building, leading to the first reported casualties, according to Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk.
Russian troops withdrew from Bucha on March 31, 2022. By the evening of April 2, the Ministry of Defense announced that all settlements in Kyiv Oblast had been liberated from Russian forces.
Upon the liberation of Bucha, journalists and Ukrainian soldiers discovered evidence of mass killings, with some bodies found on the streets, including those with their hands bound behind their backs. Ukraine officially called for a global investigation into the murders of civilians in Bucha. On April 14, 2022, Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, visited Bucha personally.
Additionally, in April 2022, exhumations began at a mass grave near the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called and All Saints to identify the deceased and establish the circumstances of their deaths.
Maxar Technologies, a private American company, reported that the first signs of the mass grave near the church were detected in satellite images as early as March 10, 2022.
Law enforcement agencies documented over 9,000 war crimes committed by the Russian military during the occupation of the Bucha district. More than 1,700 civilians lost their lives. In 2022, authorities identified 91 Russian soldiers involved in these crimes. The Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that they had eliminated Russian troops responsible for torturing civilians in Bucha.
The visit of EU's Kaja Kallas to Kyiv on the anniversary of the Bucha tragedy underscores European solidarity with Ukraine. The ongoing investigations into war crimes highlight the need for accountability as the region continues to recover from the conflict.