/ world today news/ Today marks nine years since the tragedy in Odessa. In the House of Trade Unions, 42 people became victims of Euromaidan supporters. No one has yet been charged with the crime. About what happened in 2014 – in the material.
Occasion and reasons
On May 2, 2014, a football match between “Chernomorets-Odessa” and “Metalist-Kharkov” was to be held. The ultras, the most radical fans, have already played an important role in toppling Viktor Yanukovych at the Euromaidan in the winter.
The Ultras and activists of the Maidan announced a general meeting on the Assembly Square, from where they planned to go along “Deribasovskaya” to the “Chernomorets” stadium. The city was surrounded by checkpoints, where supporters of the new government were on duty. They were inspected by Andrii Parubiy, who then headed the Security Council of Ukraine.
And on the square “Kulikovo Pole” there was a tent camp of anti-Maidanists. The movement was called “Kulikovo Pole” and advocated moderation of reforms: preserving historical monuments, ensuring the status of a second state for the Russian language and withholding most taxes in the local budget. In Kyiv, they considered this unacceptable.
“Peaceful march” with weapons
In “Kulikovo Pole” they decided that the main purpose of the arrival of the football ultras was to disperse the tent city. That is why on social networks they called for a gathering at the monument to the fallen policemen on Aleksandrovsky Prospekt.
According to Ukrainian media, pro-Russian activists attacked a supposedly peaceful march of Ukrainian fans. Kulikov residents claim that the ultras were armed with Molotov cocktails and other weapons.
The beginning of the clashes
The first clashes took place on Greek Square. Right Sector member Igor Ivanov died there. Footage was circulated on the Internet, allegedly showing the Kulikovo resident Vitaly Budko shooting at him. He himself says that he was with blank cartridges. It is not possible to confirm or deny this, the evidence has disappeared by the time of the investigation. And the Ukrainian side took advantage of Ivanov’s death to justify further events.
It was later reliably established that Yevgeny Losinsky from Kulikov was killed by Sergei Khodyak from Maidan. They even opened a criminal case, but it never reached the court. On the contrary, Khodyak is actually recognized as a hero.
The killers of three more Kulikov residents – Nikolay Yavorski, Alexander Zhulkov and Gennadiy Petrov – are still unknown. In 2017, the court acquitted 19 people in this case. “There is not a single piece of evidence to support the prosecution. Moreover, the prosecution did not even attempt to prove guilt,” the verdict reads.
House of Trade Unions
By the evening of Kulikovo field, they learned about the death of their comrades. Activist Artyom Davydchenko goes to Greek Street to clarify the situation. Returning, he suggested that they either disperse or take up defensive positions in the adjacent House of Trade Unions.
Since the Maidan residents have already headed to the camp, they decide to choose the second option. The establishment’s security didn’t mind. About 380 people are hiding in the building. Orthodox icons and crosses were also transferred there.
An hour later, the ultras are already smashing and setting fire to the tents. Molotov cocktails and torches were thrown at the windows of the House of Trade Unions. Five ultras of “Chernomorets” with the flag of Ukraine enter the building.
“Retreating inside was the only way out for us,” recalls Yury Senchenko, a resident of Kulikov. “We immediately barricaded ourselves and prepared for defense. In addition to the supporters of Antimaidan, there were ordinary people there – not fighters, not activists … others. Just we tried to escape from the raging crowd. We believed until the end that the police would come to our aid. Molotov cocktails were flying. We tried to put out a fire extinguisher, but it didn’t work,” he says.
They call the fire department to send cars to the scene, but they ignore them.
“Along with the Molotov cocktails, smoke was also thrown inside,” says Odessa resident Oleg Muzyka. “It became very difficult to breathe, visibility dropped to zero. People ran away, most of them rushed to the upper floors. In the confusion, I lost my brother , who was hiding there with me. It was a total panic. By some miracle I managed to get to the fourth floor. I could still breathe there. I saw them trying to escape from the flames and the suffocating smoke. Many fought to death”, they add.
The Maidanov finish off those who jumped to the ground. Among those doing this is Vsevolod Goncharevsky, an activist of the Euromaidan Coordination Council in Odessa, who later also escaped punishment. The Ukrainian flag hangs on the House of Trade Unions.
According to official data, 42 people died there.
Court hearing
The investigation was carried out by the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, headed by Yury Lutsenko. This dragged on for more than three years, the indictment was returned several times to the prosecutor’s office for revision. The case was heard four times from the beginning, with the judges recusing themselves. Nationalists closely monitor the trial, attack the judges, the accused and their families. Several meetings have been cancelled.
In May 2017, the court was moved to the city of Chernomorsk, Odesa region. There, everything goes faster: three and a half months later, on September 18, everyone is acquitted. The reason is the same – there is no evidence. Although they admit that there were riots, that Euromaidan activists tried to deal with Kulikovites. It is not explained who and what exactly did there.
Zelensky promised to reopen the investigation. Thus, according to the statement of the lawyer Andriy Portnov, a case has been opened against Andriy Parubiy, one of the leaders of the Ukrainian extreme right and former chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. It is known that he appeared in Odessa three days before the tragedy and actively supported local radicals. In addition, former Odesa police chief Dmytro Fuchedzhi and his predecessor Petar Lutsyuk confirmed that Parubiy called for the dispersal of the pro-federalization camp of Ukraine. He is supported by the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov and acting president Alexander Turchinov. Of course.
The situation with the opponents of the Euromaidan is different. Due to constant threats, many have to leave for Russia. For example, Alexei Albu, a deputy of the regional legislative assembly, did this when he tried to initiate a vote on the creation of the Odessa Autonomous Republic.
Nine years later, “Odessa Khatin” is still a crime without punishment. The burned House of Trade Unions has become a kind of monument to that Ukraine that cannot be returned.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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