During the Nazi occupation of Kyiv in 1941-1943 the Babyn Yar became a place of invaders mass executions of civilians and Soviet prisoners of war, above all - Jews and Gypsies (by ethnicity), as well as Soviet activists, member of Soviet underground organizations,  hostages, "saboteurs", members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, curfew violators and others.

It was founded that executions at the Babyn Yar began on September 27, 1941. Mass executions at the Babyn Yar were conducted till the liberation of Kyiv from Nazi occupation in 1943. At the same time Nazis have been killing people in Syretskyi concentration camp (up to 25 thousand victims) which was located near the Babyn Yar.

Among the punitive Nazi actions at the Babyn Yar the best known are:

- 29 - 30 September 1941 about 34,000 people, the most of all – Jews, were shot. According to the occupation administration statistics from September 27 till November 9, 1941 the number of Jews killed in the Babyn Yar has exceeded 55 thousand people;

-10 January 1942, 100 sailors and officers Dnieper squad Pinsk Flotilla have been executed by Nazis;

- In 1942-1943, above 600 members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists have been killed in the Babyn Yar.

At present, the most accurate number of victims of the Babyn Yar is the one that published by the Nuremberg Tribunal of the major war criminals - about 100,000 people (according to the Special Government commission for investigation of Nazi crimes during the occupation of Kyiv).