The Siege of Busha: How Vinnytsia Defends a Unique Cossack-Era Preserve
Фото: travels.in.ua Хрест на козацькому кладовищі у Буші 15-16 ст.
This locality was described by Mykhailo Starytskyi in his novel “The Siege of Busha.” Battles were fought here against the nobility who besieged the castle 370 years ago.
How did the Cossacks prepare for defense?
Mykhailo Starytskyi
The author of the work "The Siege of Busha"
The Cossacks, with a fighting spirit, prepare for defense: they pile sandbags, dig trenches, and transport various military equipment. Outside, the weather is dreadful: fierce wind, cold rain, and even ice, yet the Cossacks pay no heed and organize their equipment in just their shirts. The sotnyk (Cossack captain) Zavysnyi gives orders to everyone. He also notes that the Cossacks should not waste bullets in vain, but "aim well so that each Cossack bullet brings death," as there are a great many enemies...
The siege was not repelled. The widow of the slain sotnyk, as the enemy approached, ignited the gunpowder keg, taking many attackers with her. Thus, the Busha castle was destroyed. Then, in 1684, about 16,000 Cossacks, their wives, and children perished.
There is still a Cossack cemetery here with crosses — these are monuments of local folk stonemasonry.
Photo: 20 minutes
Irina Zakharchuk, who heads the State Historical and Cultural Reserve, explains what will happen to the tourist settlement if mining begins in the quarry
What will the quarry development lead to?
Iryna Zakharchuk
Acting Director of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve 'Busha'
Last year we had a lot of tourists - 27 thousand. We have developed green tourism, green-type estates, and cafes. People come to see this place. Here are Maltese-type crosses, straight crosses, the so-called sun cross, equilateral Cossack crosses - these are crosses from the 17th century. And this very unusual cross dating back to the 15th-16th centuries. There is no inscription preserved there. It is dated thanks to weathering. So, quarry development will lead to irreparable damage. Another dead village will appear on the map of Ukraine. Everything here will be covered with phosphate dust. The road to the quarry passes through the reserve in the center, and the reserve covers the entire territory of our Busha.
Поряд з цієї місцевістю є також урочище Гайдамацький Яр. Тут у скелях ховалися ті, хто тікав під час облоги Буші, а згодом і гайдамаки.
Photo from the website: travel-al.com.ua
The Association of Museums of Vinnytsia Region recognized Busha and Haydamatskyi Yar as one of the 7 wonders of the region. But it’s not just a landmark valued by Vinnytsia. Its significance is important at the state level. Therefore, the defensive fortress with underground passages and the rock temple with relief images have been included in the Register of State Monuments.
Photo: spadok.org.ua
Also here is one of the largest historical sculpture parks in Europe, where plein airs and meetings of stone sculptors take place.
Photo: spadok.org.ua
In addition to the Cossack heritage, samples of Trypillian and Cherniakhiv cultures were also found here.
During archaeological excavations, remains of Trypillian settlements dating back to 4000 BCE were discovered.
Photo: busha.com.ua
To preserve these findings, a protective pavilion was built – an archaeology museum.
Currently, it has even been determined who will be mining the phosphate limestone here. The company ‘SI-Evolution’ (directed and owned by Natalia Hybelinda) obtained a special permit for subsoil use for slightly more than 2.6 million UAH. The deposit was put up for auction by the State Geological and Subsoil Service, which has not yet responded to the information request from the public initiative ‘Holka’.
Screenshots from the Prozorro website.
Representative of ‘Automaidan Vinnytsia’ Andriy Saikovych emphasizes that communities in the region will face even greater problems with drinking water because of this.
How will phosphate mining affect groundwater?
Andriy Saikovych
Representative of 'Automaidan Vinnytsia'
The planned open-pit phosphate mining will further contaminate groundwater - the concentration of biogenic compounds will increase, leading to further source pollution. As a result, people will get sick, quality of life will deteriorate, and life expectancy will decrease. Busha was destroyed once, and the community did not give up then, just as people will not give up now.
Fifteen years ago, we already tried to obtain permission for quarry development through the local council, but at that time, deputies and the community expressed opposition. This is recounted by the current headman of the community, Roman Ivanchyshyn, who was a deputy in Busha at that time.
Did the community provide permission?
Roman Ivanchyshyn
Village head of Busha community
And what happened now? Nobody talked to the community. They were presented with the fact that the auction had passed, and this land was taken. We found out from Facebook and the press. People are outraged, they're scared! Our village is in the valley, and the quarry is up there. It's quite high. And it turns out there's 60 hectares of land there. And they want to allocate about 13 hectares for the quarry. There will be dust! This mining will not only affect our village, but it will also ruin neighboring villages and forests. We have oak and pine forests. The village is right in the valley. The whole village will become a quarry. There will be no talk about historical heritage and tourism. People insistently demand to cancel the auction results.
The decision of the Busha village council for the year 2007 was provided to ‘Holka’ at the State Geological and Subsoil Service.
The founder of the NADRA.INFO news agency and co-founder of the NGO ‘Our Subsoil’ Volodymyr Boyko explains that under the slogans of deregulation to simplify business life in 2022, the parliament amended the legislation, and local self-government bodies were removed from the approval process (Article 9-1 and 10 of the Ukraine Subsoil Code).
What are the consequences of deregulation?
Volodymyr Boyko
The founder of the NADRA.INFO news agency and co-founder of the NGO 'Our Subsoil'
However, the Code consistently states that 'the people exercise the right of ownership of subsoil through the Verkhovna Rada... and local councils.' The new 'deregulated' rules have been in effect for two years now and have caused a completely opposite effect - in many regions, communities actively resist mining plans that were not approved by them. What should communities do in this situation? They can commission the creation of an investment or geological atlas of the community. It will help them manage land more wisely, plan budgets, and community development. Investor intentions to organize extraction or processing of mined resources will no longer be a 'surprise'. On the contrary, the community can initiate the creation of new extraction businesses with maximum consideration of their own needs and desires.
Analyst of the NGO ‘Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group’ Petro Testov adds that another consequence of deregulation is that since the summer of 2023, the Ministry of Ecology only approves the granting of subsoil for geological exploration and research-industrial development.
When is approval required?
Petro Testov
Analyst of the NGO 'Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group
And if mining starts right away, based on old geological survey data, as in the case of Busha, then no approvals are required. This is already the third major scandal this year; in January, plots for peat and sand mining were similarly sold in nature reserves in Volyn and Rivne regions. The Ministry of Ecology always seeks the opinion of regional administrations, and I think in this case, there would likely not have been approval given, and the plot would not even have been put up for auction.
Regarding the situation that has arisen in Busha, Ukrainian Members of Parliament collectively addressed the Prime Minister on April 17th. The letter was signed by ‘Servants of the People’ MPs: majority representative from Rivne Oblast, Oleksandr Alykseichuk; majority representative from Vinnytsia Oblast, Iryna Borzova; list MPs Alina Zahoruiko and Oleg Bondarenko. Also, representatives of ‘Voice,’ Solomiia Bobrovska, and a member of the ‘Trust’ group, Larisa Bilozir, who was elected from one of the districts in Vinnytsia Oblast.
In fact, the auction results can be challenged here, given that historical landmarks were registered in the state register and have protected zones.
The public initiative ‘Holka’ addressed the Ministry of Culture, and as a result, they found the master plan of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve ‘Busha’ there.
Are the boundaries of the reserve defined?
Rostyslav Karandiev
Acting Minister of Culture
In 2003, the institute 'Ukrzakhidproektrestavratsiya' developed a master plan for the historical and cultural reserve in Busha. This scientific and project documentation defined the boundaries of the reserve and its protected zones, including protected landscape areas. Therefore, when determining the territory for subsoil extraction, it was necessary to take into account the presence of cultural heritage sites and the impact of planned economic activities on their preservation. According to available information, the territory allocated for the quarry falls within the boundaries of the reserve's protected zones.
The head of the State Geological and Subsoil Service, Roman Opimakh, reported that such information is not available in the public register.
Can the community change the situation?
Roman Opimakh
The Head of the State Geological and Subsoil Service of Ukraine
According to the National Geospatial Data Act, it should have been created long ago. We have been communicating with the Ministry of Culture for over three years to provide us with the locations of such objects throughout Ukraine; they are only creating the Registry. In any case, the State Geological Survey will issue a warning in the special permit against the introduction of any activities that may cause harm. In addition, before mining begins, an environmental impact assessment must be conducted, the procedure of which includes public hearings, so the community will be able to communicate with the subsoil user, express their comments if any remain.
The head of the specialized ecological prosecutor’s office of Vinnytsia region, Maxim Kutsiak, notes that the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor’s Office has entered information into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations under Part 3 of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – violation of rules for the protection or use of subsoil, illegal extraction of minerals:
“The pre-trial investigation has been entrusted to the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia Oblast.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and materials are being collected.”
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