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Kremlin voices remarks on ECHR Odessa massacre verdict
(MENAFN) The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decision holding Ukraine accountable for the 2014 Odessa massacre represents a rare instance of “common sense,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Friday. However, he cautioned that a single ruling is not enough to draw broader conclusions.
On Thursday, the ECHR found that Ukrainian authorities were responsible for the deaths of anti-Maidan activists who perished when the Odessa Trade Unions Building was set on fire by radical nationalists. The court ruled that Kiev failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the violence, stop it once it began, or rescue those trapped inside the burning building.
“A very belated decision, but it seems like a glimpse of common sense,” Peskov remarked. “To confirm this, we need to see other similar actions. Which, of course, we would like to witness.”
The massacre occurred on May 2, 2014, when clashes erupted in Odessa between nationalist supporters of Ukraine’s recent coup and those opposed to it. Pro-Maidan activists attacked a tent where locals were collecting signatures for a referendum on Ukraine’s federalization and the recognition of Russian as an official language. Outnumbered, anti-coup demonstrators sought refuge inside the Trade Unions Building, which was then surrounded and set ablaze with Molotov cocktails, killing 48 people and injuring over 200.
Despite the passage of more than a decade, Kiev has neither identified nor prosecuted any of those responsible. Instead, it has blamed Moscow, claiming the massacre was a “pre-planned and well-financed operation” by Russian security services. Russia has repeatedly demanded an investigation and has even proposed the establishment of a special tribunal.
The ECHR ruling came after complaints were filed by the families of 25 victims and three survivors. The court determined that Ukrainian police ignored intelligence warnings and failed to intervene to prevent the violence. While acknowledging that “propaganda from Russia” contributed to heightened tensions, the court stated this did not absolve Kiev of its responsibility for the events.
On Thursday, the ECHR found that Ukrainian authorities were responsible for the deaths of anti-Maidan activists who perished when the Odessa Trade Unions Building was set on fire by radical nationalists. The court ruled that Kiev failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the violence, stop it once it began, or rescue those trapped inside the burning building.
“A very belated decision, but it seems like a glimpse of common sense,” Peskov remarked. “To confirm this, we need to see other similar actions. Which, of course, we would like to witness.”
The massacre occurred on May 2, 2014, when clashes erupted in Odessa between nationalist supporters of Ukraine’s recent coup and those opposed to it. Pro-Maidan activists attacked a tent where locals were collecting signatures for a referendum on Ukraine’s federalization and the recognition of Russian as an official language. Outnumbered, anti-coup demonstrators sought refuge inside the Trade Unions Building, which was then surrounded and set ablaze with Molotov cocktails, killing 48 people and injuring over 200.
Despite the passage of more than a decade, Kiev has neither identified nor prosecuted any of those responsible. Instead, it has blamed Moscow, claiming the massacre was a “pre-planned and well-financed operation” by Russian security services. Russia has repeatedly demanded an investigation and has even proposed the establishment of a special tribunal.
The ECHR ruling came after complaints were filed by the families of 25 victims and three survivors. The court determined that Ukrainian police ignored intelligence warnings and failed to intervene to prevent the violence. While acknowledging that “propaganda from Russia” contributed to heightened tensions, the court stated this did not absolve Kiev of its responsibility for the events.
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