Remembering the Odesa Tragedy Four Years Later

In a confrontation between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists in Odesa, on May 2, 2014, 48 people died.

More than two hundred were wounded. In the course of the events, the Trade Unions House caught fire with people barricaded inside. Most of the organizers of the pro-Russian rallies, who are suspected of involvement in the tragedy, are still to this day hiding abroad.

At 3p.m. on May 2, in Soborna Square, a rally in support of United Ukraine started, mainly composed of Odesa residents and Kharkiv football fans. The group started to move. In parallel,counter-rally activisits gathered. As they all made their way to Kulykove field, the first clashes started nearly 30 minutes later.

Ihor Ivanov, an officer of the right sector was killed, and with his death, the situation quickly got out of control. Anti-Maidan fighters started clashing with the police and pro-Ukraine activists. Pro-Russian militants, who attacked the march in the center of the city, began to barricade themselves in the Trade Unions House, throw molotov cocktails and actively call people into the house. Eventually, it caught on fire.

This fire caused the largest number of deaths during the incident, however no one has been punished yet. The court hearing proceeded through closed doors. The organizers and the guilty were left untouched. They were allowed to flee. Some fled  to Moldova, and others to Russia.

The burned down Trade Unions House is still fenced off and repairs continue.