In Kyiv, they want to build a military cemetery on Lysia Gora: the community is against

/ Ukraine /

On October 27, the Kyiv City Council supported the development of a detailed site plan project for the location of the National Military Memorial Cemetery. 

The necessity of its creation does not raise questions and is substantiated in the explanatory note - the beginning of a full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine. Ceremonial burials of Ukrainian defenders are planned to be held at the cemetery. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, and the memorial complex should be operational by the end of 2023.

However, the stumbling block in this decision was the location chosen for the cemetery. The Kyiv City Council agreed to the proposal of the Prime Minister (who, in fact, came up with this initiative) to choose the Lysa Gora tract as the location of the future cemetery. This caused considerable indignation in society. 

Activists and the Kyiv community are dissatisfied with the fact that the cemetery was chosen for placement an object of historical and cultural heritage, which will obviously lead to its destruction. 

Photo: Facebook/Vitaly Selyk

"What they found - a landscape reserve and at the same time an object of historical and cultural heritage of national importance "Babyn Yar", as well as a regional landscape park and also an object of historical and cultural heritage of national importance "Lisa Gora" cause the harshest criticism of the people of Kyiv. - noted in the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center. 

 

Public discussions

The public initiative "March for Kyiv" emphasizes that the decision adopted by the city council was made without any expert discussions, which contradicts the European values ​​for which Ukraine is currently fighting. The determination of the plot should be carried out with the involvement of specialists who would formulate the future substantive expediency of placing the cemetery. 

Today there are more than 40 public organizations turned to the Office of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Mayor of Kyiv to start communication with the public regarding the resolution of this issue.

 

Why the idea of ​​locating the cemetery on "Bald Mountain" is impractical

Legal assessments

As the activists note, first of all, according to the General Plan, the territory of "Bald Mountain" is a nature reserve fund. The change of purpose is a violation of the Law "On Regulation of Urban Development Activities" and will go against the General Plan of the city. 

There is a separate question as to whether the prime minister has the authority to give at least some instructions to local self-government bodies. Experts claim that this is a violation of Art. 19 of the Constitution of Ukraine.

Natural and historical significance

The territory of "Bald Mountain" consists almost entirely of slopes, embankments, and ditches. Conducting any earthworks there on the difficult terrain will be expensive and will lead to the destruction of the historical landscape. 400-year-old oaks have been preserved here, and the Lybid River flows at its foot. As noted in the Ukrainian Nature Protection Group, Lysia Gora is home to 30 rare red book species of plants and animals.

In addition, the fortifications and brick buildings of the Lysohir fortress have been preserved here, which will have to be demolished in the event of the construction of a memorial cemetery.

Lysohirsky fort, road N4. Photo: Wikipedia

In recent years, Lysa Gora has grown heavily with trees, and its own ecosystem has formed here. As write Vitaliy Selyk, head of the Urban Development Council of Kyiv, until recently, a wild moose lived on Lysia Gora.

"From a cultural point of view, it is not very good to organize a pantheon of glory between temples at the gathering place of witches, evil spirits and Satanists," jokes Senyk. Although it is true, the legends surrounding Lysa Gora attract various subcultures with their mysterious atmosphere. Is the immortalization of heroes appropriate here? This question.

 

Alternative offers

On November 6, at the initiative of Olesya Pynzenyk, a member of the Kyiv City Council, a group of ecologists toured the districts of Kyiv and immediately found five sites for a cemetery.

  • Domanya tract, communal property, 150 hectares, not yet distributed for development, a beautiful flat area in the north of Trojeshchyna. There is an entrance.
  • Troitske tract, communal property, not allocated for development, 30 hectares in the north of Troitschyna.
  • The plot near the Berkivtsi cemetery, an area of ​​85 hectares, according to the General Plan, the land is allocated for possible development, and it is state property. There is a nice entrance nearby.
  • A plot near the Great Ring Road in Obolon, area 29 hectares, state property, agricultural land. There is a nice entrance nearby
  • Plot on VDNG in the area of ​​St. Ac. Swampy State property, the land is allocated for recreation, the owner is DUSya. The area is about 100 hectares. There is a nice entrance and the subway nearby.

Deputy Lesya Pynzenyk examines the plot of Domanya Tract. Photo: Facebook/KEKC

The community is indignant, why these plots were not considered and discussed in the public space and why natural protected objects, which have historical and cultural significance, should be given under the cemetery.

"Commemoration of military personnel is an important and sensitive decision of national importance. In no case can it be accepted without the participation of the military, the families of the victims, the city community and without taking into account the local context," the "March for Kyiv" emphasized.

 

 

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