The construction of a national military memorial cemetery on the territory of Bykivnia forest is on hold, according to a statement published by the Ministry of Culture on Aug.18.
The area within the Bykivnia forest designated for the cemetery must undergo further archaeological investigation before construction can commence.
The "Bykivnia Graves," located inside the forest, was previously home to a secret NKVD facility of the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic. The site now serves as a burial ground for victims of mass political repressions in Kyiv between 1937 and 1941.
Historians estimate that the Bykivnia Forest holds the remains of 30,000 to 40,000 victims of Stalinist repressions.
The exact burial locations of numerous victims have yet to be identified. As a result, the selected site requires comprehensive archaeological exploration, including detailed search and exhumation activities. Officials must also determine the burial location for the newly discovered remains of repression victims
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