Many foreign guests to attend commemoration of Babyn Yar tragedy victims

"This year, a large-scale commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in Babyn Yar will be held on October 6," President’s Spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov said in a comment to Ukrinform.

According to him, many foreign guests are expected to arrive, including the leaders. Nykyforov noted, in particular, that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had already confirmed his participation in the events.

On September 29-30, the National Historical and Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar", the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance with the support of the Ukrainian World Congress organize a series of events to mark the 80th anniversary of the beginning of mass shootings during the Nazi occupation of Kyiv.

During World War II, the German occupation forces used the Babyn Yar tract in the northwestern part of Kyiv as a place of mass executions of civilians, mainly Jews. On September 29, 1941, by order of the occupation administration, the entire Jewish population was obliged to appear in Babyn Yar. People were escorted in groups through the checkpoint, after which they were driven to the edge of the ravine and shot. On September 29-30, 33,771 people were killed.

The massacres in the tract lasted until the occupiers left the city. According to official figures, about a hundred thousand people were shot down there.

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