The European Union has imposed sanctions on nine Russian citizens accused of war crimes committed during the Russian occupation of the town of Bucha in the Kyiv region, the EU Council announced yesterday, March 16.
The decision comes as the fourth anniversary of the Bucha massacre approaches. More than 1,400 civilians were killed in the Bucha district during the Russian occupation from February to March 2022, including 637 in the town of Bucha itself. Many of the victims were later found executed, their bodies left in the streets or buried in mass graves.
Among those sanctioned is Colonel General Alexander Chaiko, former commander of Russia’s Eastern Military District and the highest-ranking Russian officer on the ground in Ukraine at the start of the full-scale invasion. According to the EU, he served as the overall commander at the time Russian troops entered Bucha.
The sanctions also target several other senior Russian military officials who commanded units in Bucha and nearby towns, including Hostomel, Irpin, and Borodyanka.
“In their roles, they led units at a time when hundreds of civilians were killed, in some cases as a result of brutal executions,” the EU Council said.
According to the EU, one of the listed individuals is also responsible for the adoption and unlawful deportation of a child from the occupied Donetsk region. “These acts constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes,” the Council added.
The nine individuals are now subject to asset freezes and travel bans, and EU citizens and companies are prohibited from providing them with any funds. The EU currently sanctions around 2,600 Russian individuals and entities linked to Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
EU foreign ministers are expected to meet in Bucha on the anniversary of the town’s liberation from Russian occupation to discuss further measures related to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
In its conclusions of December 19, 2024, the European Council once again strongly condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, reaffirmed its continued support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and stated that efforts to further limit Russia’s ability to wage war must continue, including through the adoption of additional sanctions.
