Ukraine: Bucha commemorates one year since massacre

Ukraine on Friday marked one year since its forces liberated the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. Russian troops retreated from the town, leaving the bodies of executed civilians strewn among burnt-out military vehicles in the streets.

"365 days since it is a free Ukrainian city once again. A symbol of the atrocities of the occupying country's army," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media on Friday. "We will never forgive. We will punish every perpetrator."

Ukrainian authorities estimate that around 400 bodies of civilians were found in Bucha. Two days after it was liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2021, Zelenskyy visited the town and described the killing of civilians as "genocide."

On the one-year anniversary of the massacre, local residents recalled to DW their memories under occupation and how they are now seeking justice.

Bucha, which was home to 37,000 people before the war, is currently abuzz with construction workers rebuilding homes.

Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk likened the reconstruction effort to a bustling ant colony on Thursday.

"It's this kind of incredible desire for nothing to visually remind us of what the Russians did and left in their wake," he told the Reuters news agency. "It's in the heart, soul and mind of every Bucha resident."

At the Saint Andrew church near Bucha's town hall, where a mass grave had been dug during Russia's occupation, municipal workers have built a stage for official anniversary ceremonies on Friday.

"It's very important that we don't forget the people who, unfortunately, are not with us today," Archpriest Andriy, who runs the parish, told the AFP news agency.

"It is also important for us not to live in the past, but in the future. To live in the future, you must not only win (and) defeat the occupiers... but it is very important that evil is condemned. Criminals must be condemned, evil must be punished.," he said.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the brutal scenes in Bucha a "crude and cynical provocation" by Kyiv.

Here are some of the other notable developments concerning the war in Ukraine on Friday, March 31:

Russian counter-battery radars dwindling

​​​Russia will have difficulties replacing its destroyed counter-battery radars as the war in Ukraine goes on, the British Defense Ministry said on Friday. This technology detects projectiles and locates the ground weapon that fired them.

In an intelligence update, the ministry said Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian ZOOPARK-1M system as recently as last week.

"​Russia has lost at least six ZOOPARK-1Ms and likely only has a very limited number left in Ukraine," the British Defense Ministry said.

"Regenerating counter-battery radar fleets is likely a key priority for both sides, but Russia will likely struggle because the systems rely on supplies of high-tech electronics which have been disrupted by sanctions."

OSCE to investigate child deportations

The 45 member countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announced late on Thursday they would investigate allegations of Ukrainian children being deported by occupying Russian authorities.

The Ukrainian government has accused Moscow of illegally deporting thousands of children to Russia. In December, the OSCE Human Rights Office said these reports were credible and earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other Russian officials over the same allegations.

"We continue to have concerns regarding violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law following Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, particularly with regard to the forced transfer and deportation of children by the Russian Federation," Germany's OSCE representative Gesa Bräutigam said.

The findings of the investigation will be presented to "relevant accountability mechanisms" as well as national, regional, or international courts and tribunals.

Russia denies the reports and claims it took the children to safety.

Ukraine says 47 attacks defeated in one day

Ukrainian forces defeated numerous Russian attacks along the eastern front on Thursday, officials said.

"A total of 47 attacks by the enemy were repelled," the Ukrainian military said on Facebook.

The areas affected included Kupiansk, Limansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinsk.

Russia seeking arms from North Korea: US

The White House has accused Russia of seeking additional weapons from North Korea for its invasion of Ukraine.

"We have new information that Russia is actively seeking to acquire additional munitions from North Korea," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.

Kirby said Russia is seeking to send a delegation to North Korea to offer food in exchange for munitions.

He also named a 56-year-old Slovakian national who "has been attempting to broker a secret arms agreement" between the two countries. He has now been placed on the US Treasury sanctions list, which could also impact any business associates.

"Today's action is a clear message that the United States will not relent in targeting those who provide support to Russia's aggression and brutal war against Ukraine," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"We will continue to identify, expose, and counter Russian attempts to acquire military equipment from (North Korea) or any other state that is prepared to support its war in Ukraine."