Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine War
The Emergence of the Bucha Witches
In Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, almost 100 women have taken on a new role, volunteer air defense fighters, and a loose, unofficial title bestowed upon them has become "Bucha Witches." The women, aged between 19 and 64 years, have dedicated themselves to the safety of their community from the ever present threat of Russian drones. Since 2022, after the Russian invasion and the brutal 33 day occupation of Bucha, this district became widely recognized for atrocities there. Hundreds of civilians were killed, and many more tortured and robbed, actions that have led to a wide trauma issue among survivors. The Bucha Witches have emerged as one potent response, volunteering for a part time military service to safeguard their community from further harm.
Training to Take Down Russian Drones
The Bucha Witches are trained to target the Russian Shahed drones that frequently fly over Bucha in attack trajectories toward Kyiv. These drones come in swarms often, reaching speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, and fitted out with GPS trackers and live video feeds back to their operators. Some act as "spies," detecting and projecting the location of Ukrainian defense units to direct the swarm's attacks. The Bucha Witches, however, have been taught to handle assault rifles, machine guns, and other unconventional but effective weapons to deal with such drones even before they reach their target. Each woman goes through weeks of hard training in building defensive dugouts and operating under combat conditions. As Valentyna, one of the Witches, explained, the physical demands are really tough, but their determination to defend their homes keeps them going.
Personal Stories of Survival and Resilience
For many of the women, joining the Bucha Witches was for deeply personal reasons. Valentyna, who turns 51 in mid October, spoke of her own survival during the first days of the war. She said that she and her family had to huddle in their basement as Russian shelling shook the walls of their future home. The village was never occupied, but the psychological wounds of war there are still open. Her family was stopped by Russian soldiers on their way west and told to roll down the car windows, a thought that still makes her shudder. Like many other residents in Bucha, Valentyna appears to take up the front lines out of obligation to her family and so that such terrors never come to pass again. "When strength ends, spirit kicks in," she said, describing the resilience she and her fellow volunteers have found through their training.
A Shared Mission, Protecting Ukraine
The Bucha Witches form a close knit community consolidated in a common mission of defense against their occupied homeland. Their pledge means more than learning military routines, they are an omen to the recovery of Bucha from occupation atrocities and the continuing war. Together with the defense, these women have become friends and vowed solidarity in overcoming any obstacles ahead. Thus, the Witches are kept alert for constant threats from Russian drones and adapt accordingly to the increasingly tried and tested tactics of their enemies. Perhaps unorthodox, but their ways have achieved results in shooting down the drones and keeping civilians safe. In this war that appears to have no end, the Bucha Witches stand tall among the strength and resilience of normal citizens in very extraordinary times, guided by the belief that every effort toward the victory of Ukraine counts.
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