On Tuesday, February 25, Bucha will be screened at The Byrd Theatre, presented by FREEDOM | Ukrainian Community and the Leonid Foundation, immersing Richmond in a reality most Americans only know from news headlines. But this isn’t just a film screening—it’s an urgent act of remembrance, a call for awareness in a world already shifting focus to the next crisis. The war in Ukraine isn’t over, and for those who have lived it, there is no moving on.
“This film tells the story of how the war began and the horrors Ukrainian civilians endured,” said one organizer. “No one should forget this, and no one should distort the truth. The world must know who the aggressors and terrorists are—so that this never happens again.”
What Happened in Bucha
In March 2022, the Kyiv suburb of Bucha became a grim symbol of the war’s brutality. After weeks of Russian occupation, the town was liberated—only for the world to discover the horrors left behind. Bodies lay scattered in the streets, some with their hands bound, shot execution-style. Others were found in mass graves, many showing signs of torture.
Investigators documented over 450 civilian deaths, with Ukrainian and international authorities classifying the killings as war crimes. Survivors described Russian forces going door to door, pulling people from their homes, and executing them on the spot. Some were gunned down while trying to flee by car or bicycle. Others were held captive in makeshift torture chambers, deprived of food, water, and fresh air for days.
Bucha was not an isolated incident. It was part of a larger pattern of atrocities committed in occupied Ukrainian territories. The massacre shocked the world, prompting further investigations and strengthening calls for justice. But for many Ukrainians, the horror of Bucha is not just a moment in history—it is a wound that remains open.
The Biggest Misconceptions About the War
For many Americans, the war in Ukraine is reduced to soundbites—geopolitical tension, military aid debates, and shifting media cycles. But for those directly affected, there are two major misconceptions that continue to cloud public understanding.
1. That Putin Alone Is to Blame
“Putin does not load the shells or drive the tanks himself,” one organizer stated. “Every person living in Russia today is responsible for this war. The people who disagreed left long ago. Those who remain support it, and everything happening is also their fault.”
This war is not the act of one man—it is the consequence of an entire system, upheld by those willing to carry out its orders. To frame it solely as “Putin’s war” ignores the broader forces enabling and sustaining the invasion.
2. That America’s Support Is Charity
Many assume that U.S. aid to Ukraine is purely an act of goodwill. But Ukraine’s relationship with the U.S. is far more complicated.
“As of 1991, Ukraine had the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world,” the organizer explained. “In 1996, at the demands of the United States and Russia, Ukraine gave up these weapons in exchange for sovereignty and security guarantees. But Russia violated these agreements, and the U.S., as one of Ukraine’s security guarantors, should be supporting Ukraine’s fight for its independence as much as possible.”
For Ukrainians, American support isn’t just a favor—it’s an obligation. The broken promises of past agreements only reinforce why the world cannot turn away now.
The Weight of a Story That Can’t Be Left Untold
For Richmond’s Ukrainian community—many of whom fled the war or still have family trapped in its machinery—this screening is more than just a night at the movies.
“Many Ukrainians cannot come to this film because it is too difficult for them,” organizers said. Too difficult because the blood on the screen isn’t history—it’s personal. Too difficult because the images are too close to home, or worse, are home.
Even so, the room will be filled. Ticket sales surpassed expectations days ahead of the event, proving that there’s an audience willing to bear witness. And that’s the point.
“It is important to know the truth about the war in Ukraine. And this truth should come from us, from Ukrainians. While the war is going on, we must disseminate information about the events in our country as much as possible, because if we stop, someone else will start telling a different “truth” and over time people will not know what really happened.’”
More Than a Film: The Artifacts of a War Still Happening
It won’t just be a film. There will be an auction, an exhibition—items taken straight from the battlefield.
“The auction will feature lots from the main actor of Bucha and the Ukrainian military,” organizers explained. exhibition of original military attributes allows you to directly touch the things that were used by the Ukrainian military or which are war trophies. Photos by famous Ukrainian photographers will also be presented”
Objects, silent but heavy with meaning. Helmets that have seen more than anyone should. Photos by Ukrainian war photographers that will look back at you as much as you look at them.
And all the money raised will go towards making sure more people see Bucha. Because history isn’t just what happened—it’s what people remember.
For Richmond’s Ukrainians, the War Never Ended
It’s easy to think of war as something that happens over there, in some place you’ll never go. But Richmond’s Ukrainian community knows better.
“My entire family is in Ukraine. They have been fortunate to stay alive and not lose their homes. But many of my friends were not as lucky—their homes were destroyed by Russian missiles,” said one local Ukrainian.
She’s still counting losses. Friends in Mariupol—some missing, some dead. Others simply gone, absorbed into the wreckage of a city that doesn’t exist anymore.
She, like so many others, is tired of the war feeling distant. “It is essential for people who live far from war to understand what is happening in other countries. War is like a virus—it spreads fast and needs to be stopped.”
Documentary Spotlight: I Call Him by His Name
For those seeking a deeper understanding of the Bucha massacre, the documentary I Call Him by His Name tells the harrowing story of eight territorial defense soldiers executed on March 4 at Yablunska Street, 144 (AgroBudPostach).
“I call this place the ‘Ukrainian Auschwitz,’ because this is not only a place of murder,“ says Sofiya Kochmar-Tymoshenko, a witness. “In the bunker, the Russians held captives for days without electricity, water, or fresh air—only what could be pumped by hand. They survived on a single cracker a day. In one corner, eight people were shot. Another four bodies were found across the grounds of AgroBudPostach.”
This documentary sheds light on the brutal realities of war crimes in Bucha, making it a vital companion piece to the Bucha film screening.
The Privilege of Looking Away
It’s easy to disconnect. Change the channel, scroll past the news, tell yourself there’s nothing you can do. But for Ukrainians, war isn’t a passing news story—it’s their daily reality. And for those watching from afar, the distance doesn’t make it any easier.
“The hardest part is seeing young people die,” she said. “When you have no personal connection to Ukraine, death feels distant—just a natural part of life. But when it happens to someone you know, it changes everything. A very close friend of mine, who is in the Ukrainian military and fighting for freedom, told me a few days ago that he had met a woman he loves. She has two children. My initial thought was that maybe her ex-husband had left her. But then my friend told me she is a widow—a young woman in her 30s who has already lost her husband to this war. That hit me hard.”
And then there’s the guilt of watching a war from the outside.
“Another thing that deeply affects me is when I hear locals complain about a power or water outage. Every time I hear people complain about a power outage, I think of my family—how they go to work under missile attacks, how they sleep in shelters. Every time I find myself wanting to complain, I think of them. Suddenly, a power outage or a snowstorm feels like a piece of cake.”
What Richmonders Can Do to Help
For anyone who leaves Bucha asking what can I do?, the answer isn’t complicated—but it does require action.
- Show up. Attend the screening, listen, bear witness. Buy your tickets HERE.
- Stay engaged. Follow the war. Don’t let it fade into the background.
- Support Ukrainian organizations. Groups like Freedom4Ukraine are doing the work—help them.
- Pressure your representatives. Aid to Ukraine is political, and politicians listen to who speaks loudest.
For many Ukrainians, this war has rewritten their lives. As one organizer put it:
“The war made all Ukrainians stronger, showed us what truly matters, and united us in the fight against the enemy. We now understand what it means to be strong, and what our national identity is—wherever we are.”
A final message from a local:
“Stay engaged—keep reading the news, spreading the word, and sharing with others. It is crucial not to turn away or forget. As long as the war continues, we must remain involved.”
“I know many people say that following the war makes them feel upset or overwhelmed, and I understand that. But we must learn to manage our emotions, to not let negativity paralyze us. Staying informed and raising awareness is essential.”
“Every individual has the power to create change. Choosing to do nothing is still a choice.”
Here are more personal stories from Ukraine HERE.
Main image: A Ukrainian soldier stands before the wreckage of destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 6, 2022. (Photo by Felipe Dana) Source HERE.
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