07/05/2016

May2inOdessa:TheMassacreWhichSparkedWiderCivilWarinEastUkraine

Sputnik InternationalMobile Version

Sputnik/ Alexander Polishchuk

May 2 in Odessa: The Massacre Which

Sparked Wider Civil War in East Ukraine
EUROPE

14:33 02.05.2016 (updated 14:41 02.05.2016)

Exactly two years ago, pro-Kiev nationalist activists blocked anti-Maidan protesters inside Odessa's House
of Trade Unions building and set it on re, killing nearly 50, and injuring hundreds more. The event, which
has yet to receive a proper investigation, marked the point of no return in the escalation of the civil war in
eastern Ukraine.
On Monday, Odessa is onlockdown. Regional governor Mikheil Saakashvili deployed nearly 3,000 police ocers and National
Guard members inthe city, ostensibly inorder to 'maintain order' inthe city onthe 2nd anniversary ofthe massacre ofantiMaidan activists. The deployed National Guard units include 300 members ofthe notorious neo-fascist Azov Regiment, which has
been accused ofwar crimes ineastern Ukraine.
The situation is tense. The local police press service released a statement
Monday morning saying that they had found an explosive device inthe city's
center, and detained the person who allegedly planted it. The 'explosive device'
appears tohave turned outto be a smoke bomb.
At the same time, Russian news agency RIA Novosti has reported that people
arriving atthe site ofthe tragedy atKulikovo Field tolay owers tothe dead
have been hampered bypolice, who cordoned othe area and haven't
allowed mourners toget through.

AP PHOTO/ SERGEI POLIAKOV

Odessa Remembers: Residents Mourn

the Victims of 2014 Massacre

City and regional authorities have a lot tobe nervous about. Two years
afterthe tragedy, a proper investigation intothe events still hasn't concluded,
and charges still haven't been laid againstthugs who burned dozens
ofprotesters alive, despiteabundant video and photo evidence, most ofit now publically available online.

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Lookingback,manyobserversconsidertheeventsofMay2,2014tohavebeenaturningpoint
inUkraine'scivilwar,adateafterwhicheasternUkrainiansopposedtotheFebruary2014Maidancoup
couldnolongerseethemselveseverreconcilingwithagovernmentinKievthatwasopenlyallied
withtheultranationalistcriminalsthatcausedthemassacre.Theseforces,hailingtoUkrainianNazi
collaboratorStephanBandera,remindedthemofthefascistbrutalizationoftheircountryduringthe
SecondWorldWar70yearsearlier.

Russian sociologist Boris Kagarlitsky predicted asmuch mere days afterthe tragedy, writing that "it is obvious toeveryone that
the catastrophe inOdessa has become a turning point inthe history ofthe civil war that began when Ukraine government forces
attacked Slavyansk and other cities that had raised the ag ofthe Donetsk republic."
"Inevitably,"Kagarlitskyadded,"theferocityonbothsideswillnowincreaseescalatingviolenceand
thesplittingofthecountryareunavoidable.ButitisnotonlyinUkrainethattheeventsofMay2have
representedawatershedforpublicopinion.ThisappliesnolesstoRussiaaswell."

Indeed, both atthe state level and amongordinary Russians, the Odessa
tragedy was etched intopeoples' minds asa demonstration ofthe utter
madness unfolding inpost-Maidan Ukraine. If before, people criticized the new
government inKiev primarily forits 'anti-Russian' and 'pro-Western' pivot,
afterOdessa, criticism also shifted ontothe post-coup government's open ties
withultranationalist and openly-fascist groups ofghters. With the Soviet
Union suering over20 million deaths atthe hands ofthe Nazis, the idea that
their Ukrainian brothers could tolerate or even cozy upto the followers
ofknown war criminals truly was a sign ofmadness forRussians.
For their part, Russian authorities have continued topush forreal and open
investigation intothe tragedy, which Kiev has stalled forover two years. Last
week, Russia circulated a draft statement inthe UN Security Council reiterating

SPUTNIK/ DENIS PETROV

A Grim Anniversary Between Two

Holidays: Remembering the Odessa
Massacre

the need foran investigation tooccur. The US and the UK ended upblocking
the initiative, something Russia's permanent UN representative Vitaly Churkin called "shameless."
For his part, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who was ousted fromhis post together withPresident Viktor
Yanukovych duringthe events ofMaidan, took time outon the anniversary ofthe massacre tocriticize not only Kiev, butthe
Western governments that continue toback it.
"It is clear," Azarov wrote, "that the Kiev regime is doing its utmost toconceal fromthe Ukrainian people and the international
community the truth aboutthis tragedy ofa global scale. What is unclear is why the US government, Germany, France, the UK
and other countries that call themselves civilized and democratic remain silent aboutthis crime."
Atthesametime,theformerprimeministeremphasizedthathehasnotlosthopethattheperpetrators
oftheviolencewillbepunished,andthatOdessawillonedaybeliberatedfromitspresent'occupation'.
"Odessa,whichisUkraine'smostfreedomlovingcity,hasbeenunderoccupationfortwoyears.Thisisa
blackperiodinthecity'shistory,butitwillsurelycometoanend."

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Echoing Azarov's sentiment, international human rights activists too have not
forgotten, and have not given uphope that the truth aboutthe massacre will
come outsome day. A delegation ofAmerican human rights activists fromthe
United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) vowed that they would be present
inOdessa onMonday, inorder toprevent attacks againstmourners.
Joe Lombardo, one ofthe delegation's organizers, told RIA Novosti Sunday that
the activists would make the trip tothe Ukrainian city inspite ofthe planned
presence ofneo-fascist thugs fromthe Azov Regiment. "We know that the Azov
Battalion [sic] has been sent toOdessa. Together withour friends fromOdessa
and representatives fromother countries, we will do everything we can tokeep

SPUTNIK/ ILIYA PITALEV

Ukraines Breakaway Region Lugansk

Marks Two Years Since Odessa Massacre

everyone safe," the activist noted.

Last week, speaking toSputnik, Lombardo explained that one activist fromtheir delegation would go toBrussels onTuesday "to
speak tothe European Parliament aboutconducting an investigation intothe events ofMay 2, 2014."
American peace activists aren't alone. On Monday, EU Ambassador toUkraine Jan Tombinski urged the Ukrainian government
"to follow upon the recommendations ofthe Council ofEurope International Advisory Panel and carry outan independent and
transparent investigation."
Ultimately,doubtsremainwhetherUkrainianauthoritieswilleverallowforanopeninquiryintothe
eventsofMay2,2014.TheissueforKiev,andfortheirpoliticalpatronsinBrusselsandWashington,
seemstobethatthe'defensebattalion'radicalsthatputdownantiMaidanprotestsinOdessawithsuch
extremeviolencearethesameforcesthathelpedtoputthepostcoupgovernmentintooffice.IfKiev
convictsmembersofthearmedandradicalizednationalistforcesthatsupportthem,thecurrent
governmentmaynotbelongforthisworld.

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2Comments

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RobMaloneProprietrioatAutnomo
Galiciashouldhaveindependence.Problemsolved.AllthecrazinessandinsanityiscomingoutofGalicia.TheUSinstalledGalician
andwannabeeGalicianmurderousgenocidalcriminalsinpowerofalargecountryinEurope.Europeshouldbeembarrassedfor
allowingtheUStodothistoUkraine.
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6May2,201610:17am

WesleyMaksymowiczWorksatInternetEcommerceStore
ForUSthatsnormal.USissupportingthemostbrutalregimeallovertheworld,butEUshouldbeashamedforsupportingBandera
murders!
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4May2,201611:43am

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