Returning to Bucha dangerous for now - city council representatives
OLENA ROSHCHINA - FRIDAY, 1 APRIL 2022, 11:34 AM
Bucha near Kyiv has not yet been liberated from the Russian military - going back there would be dangerous, as there are many mines and tripwires in the city, and saboteurs could still be operating in the city.
Source: Taras Shapravskyi, secretary of Bucha City Council, and Kateryna Ukraintseva, a member of the city council from "Eurosolidarnost" (Eurosolidarity).
According to Shapravskyi: "The city of Bucha remains a dangerous destination, as it is still under occupation. We have verified information from our Armed Forces, from our Main Intelligence Directorate, that armoured vehicles belonging to the 'Ruscists' [Russian fascists - ed.] and a significant part of their forces have been withdrawn, but a large number of saboteur groups and Russian military disguised as civilians remain.
Therefore, it is dangerous to return to the city of Bucha today. 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."
Details: 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.
The same thing was said by city councillor Ukraintseva. She urged people to wait for reports from the Armed Forces regarding liberation and information from the State Emergencies Service on the clearance of Bucha.
The councillor stressed that there were many mines and tripwires in the city, and said a car had driven into Bucha the day before and been blown up. There may also be ambushes by saboteurs in the city.
Ukraintseva suggested that Bucha might be "cleared" in 2-3 days.
Even so, the invading forces may return after regrouping.
Background: on 28 March, it became known that Irpin, which neighbours Bucha, had been liberated from the Russian occupiers. However, it will not be possible to return there for at least a month, Irpin mayor Oleksandr Markushyn has said.
