Where is Bucha: History, Travel, People, Before & After the War

The small town of Bucha (Ukraine) is attracting worldwide attention because of its alleged massacre by Russian army. Find out the map, location, popular places to travel and everything about Bucha.

Map of Bucha town in Ukraine

Bucha is a city in Ukraine's Kyiv Oblast. Administratively, it is incorporated as a city of oblast significance.

Its population is approximately 37,000.

Video: Life in Bucha Before the War:

Bucha - A Destroyed Town

Bucha, a commuter town of around 37,000 outside Kyiv, as well as the nearby town of Irpin, saw fierce fighting since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Bucha was occupied by the Russian army on the third day of the war, on Feb. 26, and remained inaccessible for more than a month.

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, heavy fighting took place in Bucha as part of the Kyiv offensive, resulting in severe Russian losses.

The city was captured by Russian forces on 12 March. Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk announced the recapture of Bucha by Ukrainian forces on 31 March 2022.

The mayor of Bucha, Anatoliy Fedoruk, said to CNN that "half the city is destroyed," and that work is being done to de-mine the streets and houses of Bucha and restore social infrastructure as the city transitions "from a war footing to peacetime living."

Only about 2,500-3,000 people remained in the town during the month Russian troops occupied it, Fedoruk said.

History of Bucha

Bucha-City stadium "Yuvileinyi"

The settlement arose with construction of the Kyiv–Kovel railway in 1898 around a small train stop by Bucha River. Bucha was a train stop of the Kyiv–Kovel railway similar to one in the modern city of Irpin. In close vicinity to the Bucha train stop there was a small village called Yablunka, where there used to be a brick factory.Yablunka is mentioned in the 19th century Polish Geographic dictionary as the village of Jabłonka 37 versts away from Kyiv.

During World War II, before the liberation of Kyiv from Nazi forces in December 1943, Bucha was the location of the headquarters of the 1st Ukrainian Front commanded by General Vatutin.

The first written mention of the settlement on the territory of the modern city Bucha dates back to 1630. The settlement emerged from the construction of the Kiev-Covel railway in 1898 around a small train, which was stopped by the Bucha River. Bucha was one of the stops of the Kiev-Covel railway.

There is a stadium in Bucha named Yuvileiny Stadium, where some matches were held in October 2016 for the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.

There is a glass factory in Bucha. Built in 1946, it was closed in 2016. There is a small train stop called "Sklozavodska".

Bucha was granted city status on February 9, 2006 (previously, Bucha was a town within the Irpin city municipality). Bucha is a large modern city of multi-storey buildings with significant social and cultural development.

Best Places to Visit in Bucha, Ukraine

Where is Bucha Town, Ukraine: History, Best Places to Travel

Bucha travel before the war

There are 4 ways to get from Kyiv to Bucha by train, rideshare, taxi or car. It is 24 km from Kyiv to Bucha. It is approximately 27.8 km to drive.

The cheapest way to get from Kyiv to Bucha is to Electric train which costs $1 and takes 42 min. Southwestern Railways operates a train from Kyiv-Pas. to Bucha every 4 hours.

The quickest way to get from Kyiv to Bucha is to taxi which costs $7 - $9 and takes 34 min.

Khreshchatyk Street

During your trip to Kyiv, you can do some window-shopping at Khreshchatyk Street. While in this walkable area, you can savor the top-notch restaurants.

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra

You can learn about the history of Kyiv with a visit to Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Experience the museums and art scene in this culturally rich area.

If you are visiting , during December and have some extra time before going for your PCR Test in, then you should consider visiting one of ´s Christmas markets. In these markets you will find typical dishes, ornaments, manual art and much more. No visit to in December is complete without visiting their Christmas markets.

The culinary experience in Bucha , Ukraine is one that cannot be excluded from any trip itinerary. There are plenty of local dishes and meals that you can only find in restaurants in Bucha . Whether it´s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, these are the best restaurants in Bucha , Ukraine that you should visit in your upcoming trip.

Bucha dangerous for now

Taras Shapravskyi, secretary of Bucha City Council, and Kateryna Ukraintseva, a member of the city council from "Eurosolidarnost" (Eurosolidarity) said: Going back Bucha would be dangerous, as there are many mines and tripwires in the city, and saboteurs could still be operating in the city.

"And this will be the situation even after Bucha is liberated - we predict for up to a month, as large areas, houses, administrative buildings, abandoned military equipment and even the bodies of the dead are mined."

Shapravskyi urged those who remain in Bucha not to approach unfamiliar objects, not to walk through forested areas, not to approach abandoned equipment, and not to go near the bodies of the dead.

He urged others to wait before returning, because the city has not yet been liberated: it is not permitted to return there.

People, Geography, Imagines of Bucha

Location Bucha town

Bucha was one of the loveliest and richest suburbs of Kyiv. Everyone wanted to live there, among pine trees, next to a gorgeous park. Its location just 20 km from Kyiv was perfect for those working in the capital. Bucha will be rebuilt, but it never be a carefree resort anymore

Where is Bucha Town, Ukraine: History, Travel, People and Map

Bucha in Peace no War!

It borders with the cities Irpin, Vorzel and Gostomel, as well as with the villages Mikhailivka-Rubezhivka and Blistytsia. The city is located between the small rivers Buchei and Rokach – the left tributaries of the river Irpin. There are 6 lakes in Bucha. The largest is the Yablunivka with an area of 24 hectares and follow the Industrial (5.9 hectares), Lake Park (2.9 hectares) and Peschanoe Lake (2.9 hectares).

Where is Bucha Town, Ukraine: History, People, Map

Bucha Today

The town's main landmark is a 19th-century railway station located at the south edge of the city. Through the city runs a major highway M07.

Author Mikhail Bulgakov stayed in Bucha with his family during the summer season in his cottage.

Bucha town - no war

The study of "ESTIMATION OF ECOLOGICAL STABILITY OF SMALL TOWN BUCHA IN KYIV REGION" by Vasiliy Yukhnovskiy (National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine) and O. Zibtseva (National University of Life and Environmen) with Conclusions:

The analysis of the territorial structure of the small Bucha town indicates its ecological imbalance, the prevalence and expansion of the ecologically destabilizing territories. The tension of the ecological and economic conditions of the town’s territory is not balanced by the degree of anthropogenic load and the potential of the sustainability of nature and will not improve in the future. In order to ensure the sustainable development of urban areas in general planning we consider it expedient to take into account not only urban, economic and social, but also environmental indicators, to link them to a single principle of environmentalization of territories.

Bucha Town

The measures proposed by the general plans forthe long-term development of towns should be compromise, the development of the territory should be accompanied by ecologically balanced decisions and provide for strengthening of the natural basis of towns and increase of ecological stability, which can be checked with the help of integral indicators: coefcients of ecological stability of the territory,

The purpose of the study is to assess the ecological balance of the small town Bucha in Kyiv region for the environmental justication of the long-term plan for the development of the urban landscape. The analysis of the distribution of urban lands according to the General City Development

The Images of Civilians Killed in Bucha?

The images and videos that have been circulating since the weekend from the town of Bucha near Kyiv are gruesome. One road is strewn with bodies of what appears to be civilians. They are not in uniform and some are tied up. The Ukrainian army released the first images on April 1 and 2 and since then international journalists have also been reporting on the events in the town.

The images of civilians killed in Bucha have shocked the world. The Russian government and pro-Russian accounts claim they were staged and that some bodies were moving.

The Russian defense ministry wrote on its Telegram channel that the videos were "a staged production and provocation." The Russian embassy in Germany claimed that the photos and videos had been staged by the "Kyiv regime for the Western media." Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Mariya Sakharova even claimed that the US and NATO had "ordered" the footage in order to blame Russia.