The majority of the Markhlevsk Jewish population was liquidated in two murder operations in the forest three kilometers from the village, next to the road to Ivanovka village. Some testimonies mention the Ivanovka tract as the murder site area, others refer to the Skotoboynya tract. The first murder operation was carried out either in August or on September 12, 1941, when the group of younger Jews was taken, brought under reinforced guard, to the murder site and shot. Soviet reports note that the number of victims varied from 200 to 300. The second shooting took place either in October, or, according to later testimonies, on November 12, 1941. On that occasion the victims mainly consisted of elderly people and women and children; some of these victims were taken to the shooting site by cart. Several testimonies mention a Jewish woman who gave birth on the way to the shooting site. Her newborn was thrown into the pit together with the mother. The number of these victims was estimated as 230. Some documents report that in both murder operations the Jews were forced to strip naked prior to their shooting.

More information: Yad Vashem