The situation with the shocking footage from Bucha was discussed at a protest outside the White House. The activists demanded to bring to justice all those responsible for the murder of Ukrainians, both in Bucha and in other cities occupied by the Russian military. A resident of Bucha, who was evacuated from the city before the arrival of Russian troops, as well as relatives of those who remained in the cities occupied by Russia, also took part in the action. Their testimonies coincide with the information disseminated by human rights activists about the inhuman treatment of the Russian military towards the civilian population.
Many of those who came to the rally could not hold back their tears. One of the activists, a former resident of the city of Bucha, Elena, who was evacuated before the Russian invasion, told the Voice of America Russian Service that she could not bring herself to look at photographs of civilians whom Ukraine accused the Russian army of killing.
“I couldn’t look at these photos, literally in passing,” says Elena. “Because it was scary to see one of your friends on them, it was scary to see your relatives and your loved ones.”
“All the people of Kiev told us that we should come to Bucha, that we should raise children, this is a quiet town, like a sleeping area of the city of Kyiv, and there really were a lot of young families with children,” Elena said.
“My parents are now in Kyiv, and every day I look at the photos of Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, and I think about which of my friends, from my relatives are now there. I have relatives with whom we cannot contact in Mariupol,” activist Taya told Voice of America. – But we managed to evacuate my sister from Bucha, she was very lucky. Look what happened to the parks I was in, with the streets that looked very beautiful, and now there are just [dead] bodies on the streets after the “Russian world” came there.”
According to the Voice of America interlocutor, before the occupation, Bucha was a modern, calm city.
The Voice of America correspondent asked the audience how they are experiencing what is happening.
“[Experienced] Anger, very intense. Anger. Such disbelief, you know that it happens in reality, but, unfortunately, it happens, - says Klavdiya, a participant in the action, in an interview with Voice of America. Of course, pain. I see all these unfortunate people, and it just hurts me to see all this. Because it's like they came to your house, destroyed everything, trampled it. Of course, there is a desire for revenge. Well, or at least expel from our land those who came there illegally, it is not clear why.
Relatives of activists who were in cities occupied by Russia, in particular Irpin, speak of the inhuman treatment of the Russian military towards the civilian population.
