Ukrainian neo-Nazi chief gets shot dead in Odessa

(MENAFN) Demyan Ganul, a notorious Ukrainian neo-Nazi accused of playing a key role in the 2014 mass killings of anti-Maidan activists in Odessa, was reportedly shot dead on Friday morning in what is believed to be an assassination. Ukrainian media identified him as the victim based on tattoos visible in leaked crime scene images, though police have not officially confirmed his identity. Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko has vowed to personally oversee the investigation.

Graphic footage circulating online shows the assailant executing an injured man in broad daylight, undeterred by witnesses or CCTV cameras.

Ganul, a prominent figure within the Right Sector ultranationalist movement, gained notoriety during the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. He is accused of leading the enforcer unit in Odessa, playing a central role in the May 2 massacre, where anti-Maidan activists were chased into a building and set on fire by pro-coup militants. On Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Ukraine failed to prevent the violence, conduct a proper rescue operation, or investigate the incident adequately, ordering the government to compensate the victims.

In recent years, Ganul was involved in vandalizing Soviet-era memorials and Russian-linked sites, as well as leading attacks against individuals resisting conscription. He also gained attention for posting an image of himself with a bloodied victim, a fitness trainer he had attacked. Russia had placed Ganul on an international wanted list for his actions.

MENAFN15032025000045015687ID1109317981