The devastation wrought by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is starkly evident in Bucha, a city marked by both physical and emotional scars. Five imposing monuments in Bucha bear the names of over 400 residents, remembered on silver plaques for the atrocities committed during the Russian occupation in 2022.
These memorials not only commemorate the victims but also symbolize the generational trauma inflicted on the city’s residents. Olena Shumakova, a Ukrainian university professor, experienced this pain firsthand. After fleeing Bucha with her family two years ago, she recently returned to her once-occupied city, only to confront her haunting memories.
In an emotional interview with at one of the memorials, Shumakova shared her harrowing experience during the invasion: “Seven days with no food, no water, and no help. Russian soldiers patrolling the streets. It was unbearable. My children and I have been living in Britain since then.”
She recounted the trauma’s deep impact, including how her eight-year-old daughter’s hair turned grey from the stress. Shumakova notes that many displaced Bucha residents avoid returning, unable to face the traumatic reminders of their past.
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