Graves collapse at National War Memorial Cemetery after heavy rain

The National War Memorial Cemetery in the Kyiv Region suffered damage after a heavy rain. Water washed away the embankment roads, the asphalt collapsed in places, and collapses formed in the burial area.

The Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center (KECC) reported this, publishing photos and videos from the territory of the memorial complex.

What happened after the downpour on the territory of the memorial cemetery

The KEСC first reported on the consequences of the bad weather on the evening of July 3. According to the organization, strong streams of water washed away the embankment roads, damaged the asphalt pavement, and washed away part of the embankment soil.

The next day, the KEСC stated that the sinkholes had already appeared directly in the burial area. The organization claims that after the downpour, the area was temporarily closed, and workers filled in part of the sinkholes near the graves.

According to the KEСC, this is not just a matter of natural subsidence of the soil after the burials. The organization believes that the water washed away the embankment layer that was previously used to raise the site. The KEСC also links the situation to deficiencies in the drainage and sewage systems.

At the same time, there is currently no independent confirmation of the causes of the sinkholes.

Why were the risks of flooding discussed even before the burials began

The issue of the hydrology of this territory was raised even during the construction of the National War Memorial Cemetery.

In 2024, residents of Markhalivka feared the possible impact of the large-scale memorial complex on groundwater and local wells. People also expressed concern about the drainage of part of the forest where groundwater flows.

At that time, the deputy director of the state enterprise "National Military Memorial Cemetery" Yaroslav Starushchenko assured that burial sites would be arranged only on areas that were not flooded. According to him, the groundwater level there should not rise closer than two meters to the surface, and it was planned not to use flooded territories for burials.

As a reminder, the Economic Court of the Kyiv Region ruled that the National Military Memorial Cemetery cannot use its land, where hundreds of fallen soldiers have already been buried, but despite the court's decision, the burials of soldiers continue.