BABYN YAR AFTER BUCHA: THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR AND THE MEMORY OF THE HOLOCAUST IN UKRAINE
BABYN YAR AFTER BUCHA: THE RUSSO-UKRAINIAN WAR AND THE MEMORY OF THE HOLOCAUST IN UKRAINE

Author(s): Yana Prymachenko
Subject(s): Military history, Recent History (1900 till today), WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), History of the Holocaust, Politics of History/Memory
Published by: Kauno IX forto muziejus
Keywords: Holocaust; Babyn Yar; Bucha; politics of memory; Russo-Ukrainian war; Russian historical propaganda; genocide;
Summary/Abstract: This article investigates the role of Holocaust memory in the context of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, focusing on the symbolic and political significance of Babyn Yar after the atrocities committed in Bucha. It analyzes how the Russian state instrumentalizes the legacy of the Second World War and the Holocaust to legitimize its aggression, disseminate propaganda, and promote a narrative of national self-victimization. The study contrasts this with Ukraine’s fragmented yet evolving memory policies, shaped by both civil society and state actors. Drawing on the instrumentalist paradigm, the article highlights how historical memory has become a strategic resource in hybrid warfare. Special attention is paid to the controversies surrounding the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, the challenges of commemorating past and present tragedies, and the global implications of Russia’s new memory regime. Ultimately, the paper raises urgent questions about the future of Holocaust remembrance amid geopolitical upheaval.

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