Ukraine Honors The Memory Of The Victims Of The Babyn Yar Tragedy

On September 29, Ukraine observed a day of remembrance for the victims of the Babyn Yar tragedy, a grim emblem of the Holocaust. UATV English has reported this event. In 1941, the Nazis executed a mass shooting of unarmed civilians in occupied Kyiv over two days, specifically September 29-30. Throughout this period, SS members killed nearly the entire Jewish population of the city, accounting for over 50,000 men, women, and children.

In just the initial two days, approximately 34,000 individuals were killed, and on October 1, 2, 8, and 11, another 17,000 people met their deaths. Babyn Yar, a ravine in northwestern Kyiv stretching two and a half kilometers, was selected as the site for these mass killings. A checkpoint was established at the end of the street, through which people were admitted in groups of 30-40.

They were required to disrobe and have their personal belongings confiscated before being taken to gaps in the embankments at the edge of the ravine. Gunners stationed on the opposite side of the ravine carried out the shootings. After each layer of bodies was submerged, they were covered with earth. Over the years of World War II, estimates suggest that 100,000-150,000 people were killed at Babyn Yar, comprising Jews, Roma, Karaites, Soviet prisoners of war, participants in the Ukrainian nationalist resistance, psychiatric clinic patients, and members of other groups deemed surplus by the occupiers.

Notably, an exhibition project titled "Witness of Eternity," focused on the memory of Babyn Yar victims and exploring the tragedy through Ukrainian art, opened at the Central House of Artists in Kyiv.