Moving beyond Tragedy: Bucha's Mayor and Deputy Mayor Look to the Future

Bucha, the Kyiv suburb that rose to prominence as a regional cultural hub, became the epicenter of Russian war crimes during the invading forces’ month-long occupation of the city last March. Occupying Russian forces tortured and murdered more than 450 Ukrainian civilians in Bucha. Many more women and young children were raped by the Russian soldiers. During the siege, the Bucha mayor of 25 years, Anatolii Fedoruk, was forced into hiding but remained in the city, organized the evacuation of many citizens, and coordinated humanitarian work for the thousands of citizens who remained. Mykhailyna Skoryk-Shkarivska assumed the role of deputy mayor of the Bucha City Council following the atrocities in May 2022. Both Fedoruk and Skoryk-Shkarivska have since worked tirelessly to pursue justice for the victims and their families as well as restore the city to the thriving regional center it was before Russian forces besieged the city.

Peter Rough, Hudson Institute senior fellow and director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia, will host Fedoruk and Skoryk-Shkarivska for a discussion about moving beyond the atrocity and Bucha’s role in the future of Ukraine. Brock Bierman, CEO of Worldwide Friends Foundation, will deliver opening remarks on the critical role of non-governmental organizations in Ukraine's recovery. The event will be held on Tuesday, January 31 at 12:30 pm EST.