Archaeology Documents Evidence of Ukraine War Crime

Archaeologists are preserving material evidence from the 2022 Yahidne war crime in Ukraine. In March 2022, Russian soldiers detained 368 civilians, including 69 children, in a school basement for 27 days. The captives were held as human shields and ten elderly people died during the confinement.

Following initial investigation by Ukrainian criminal investigators, archaeologists documented the site. Researchers used satellite images, laser scanning, and photogrammetry to create a 3D digital map of the damaged school. They recorded objects left behind, including children’s drawings and a list of the deceased.

The team published their findings in the journal Antiquity, framing their work as an ethical responsibility to preserve the traces of the event. They connect the preservation work to the philosophical concept of hauntology, suggesting past events continue to influence the present.