• The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Ukrainian authorities failed to prevent the deaths of 42 activists during violent clashes in Odessa in May 2014, citing negligence by law enforcement and emergency services.
• Ukrainian police ignored intelligence and warning signs, delayed rescue efforts by 40 minutes and failed to conduct a thorough investigation, with criminal cases against suspects repeatedly discontinued.
• The massacre occurred amid tensions following Ukraine’s pro-Western Maidan revolution – with pro-Moscow and pro-Kyiv factions clashing violently, culminating in a fire at the Trade Unions House where protesters opposing the Maidan coup sought refuge.
• The ECHR ordered Ukraine to pay €114,700 ($124,293) in compensation to victims’ families, with individual claimants receiving between €12,000 ($13,000) and €17,000 ($18,421), while rejecting Ukraine’s claims that Russia was solely responsible.
• The ruling highlights systemic failures in Ukraine’s governance and law enforcement during political upheaval, emphasizing the need for transparency, justice and accountability in addressing past tragedies.

In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has held Ukrainian authorities accountable for their failure to prevent the deaths of 42 anti-coup activists during violent clashes in Odessa on May 2, 2014.

In its decision published Thursday, March 13, the court found that Ukrainian law enforcement and emergency services neglected their duties – leading to the deadly fire in the the southwestern city’s Trade Unions House. The Thursday ruling marks a significant moment in the decade-long quest for justice by victims’ families and survivors, who have accused Kyiv of inaction and negligence.

The 2014 Odessa massacre unfolded amid heightened tensions following Ukraine’s pro-Western Maidan revolution, which ousted President Viktor Yanukovych earlier that year. Pro-Moscow and nationalist pro-Kyiv factions clashed violently in Odessa, culminating in a fire at the Trade Unions House where anti-Maidan protesters had sought refuge.

Ukrainian nationalists backed by the West torched the building, killing 42 of the 48 casualties during the massacre. Survivors and victims’ families have long argued that Ukrainian authorities failed to intervene effectively, allowing the violence to escalate and delaying rescue efforts. (Related: Ukrainian trial proves 2014 Maidan massacre was a FALSE FLAG.)

The ECHR’s ruling underscores these claims, stating that Ukrainian police “ignored available intelligence and warning signs” and made no “meaningful attempt” to prevent the clashes. Firefighters were delayed by 40 minutes due to an order from Volodymyr Bodelan, then head of Odessa’s State Emergency Service. The court also criticized the lack of a thorough investigation, noting that criminal cases against suspects were repeatedly discontinued.

ECHR ruling exposes Ukraine’s governance crisis

While the ECHR acknowledged the role of Russian propaganda in stoking tensions, it emphasized that this did not absolve Ukraine of responsibility. “Propaganda from Russia had its part,” the court stated, but the negligence of Ukrainian authorities “went beyond an error of judgment and carelessness.” The ruling also highlighted the flight of key officials to Russia, including Bodelan and Volodymyr Fuchedzhi, deputy head of Odessa’s regional police.

Ukraine has consistently blamed Moscow for the tragedy, calling it a “pre-planned and well-financed operation” by Russian security services. However, the ECHR’s decision places the onus squarely on Kyiv, ordering it to pay compensation totaling €114,700 ($124,293). Of this total, the claimants are set to receive between €12,000 ($13,000) and €17,000 ($18,421).

The ruling has reignited calls for accountability in a case that has become emblematic of Ukraine’s turbulent post-Maidan era. The ECHR’s findings also highlight broader issues of governance and law enforcement in Ukraine, particularly during a period of political upheaval.

The court’s emphasis on the failure to conduct an effective investigation underscores the need for transparency and justice, even in the face of external pressures. Nearly a decade after the Odessa massacre, the ECHR’s ruling offers a measure of closure for the victims’ families while exposing systemic failures within Ukraine’s institutions.

As the country continues to grapple with the legacy of 2014 and the ongoing conflict with Russia, the decision serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of political instability and the enduring need for accountability. For now, the question remains whether Ukraine will heed the court’s call to address its past failures – or let the wounds of Odessa fester for another decade.

Visit Violence.news for more similar stories.

Watch “Burnt Alive in Odessa,” a documentary that elaborates on the incident.

This video is from the Jerusalem Cats channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

RT.com

Interfax.com

Babel.ua

Brighteon.com