Mar 27, 2015

Odessa fire investigation update

RT in Russian reports:

Alexander Balinskii, member of the expert public commission to investigate the tragedy of May 2, said that he knew the main reason why there were so many victims in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa. According to him, “a sharp gust of wind” arose which led to an increase in the area of the fire. …

Earlier it was reported that the Odessa District Administrative Court refused to publish the results of a forensic examination of the causes of death of 48 people during the tragic events of May 2, 2014.

The court dismissed a petition by the “May 2 Group,” which conducts an independent investigation. They believe that “the authorities have set up an information vacuum around the investigation” and demand the release of data stored in the archive of the Bureau of Forensic Medicine. The plaintiffs intend to appeal the decision.

We recall that the tragedy at the Odessa House of Trade Unions took place on May 2, 2014. Then, militants of “Right Sector” and the so-called self-defense Maidan that came from Kiev, ransacked the camp in the square Kulikovo Field, where supporters of federalization collected signatures for a referendum. After that, the radicals set fire to House of Trade Unions, in which opponents of the “Maidan” took refuge from the crowds. During the riots 48 people were killed, and more than 200 injured.

The investigation of the tragedy, which was carried out by two parliamentary commissions and law enforcement officials, has not yet found the perpetrators. To date, the official list of those killed in the day of the tragedy has not been made public, there is only information on the total number of victims.

Meanwhile, a document from the Prosecutor General’s Office, addressed to the Deputy Attorney of the Odessa region, V. Etnarovichu, has been leaked to the media, allegedly by the russophobic Radical Party led by MP Oleh Lyashko. According to this document (emphasis added):

… on March 25 President Poroshenko decided on a comprehensive audit of financial and economic activity of enterprises in Odessa and Odessa region, owned by Igor Kolomoisky, or affiliated with him (7 companies). Poroshenko also instructed law enforcement agencies to check the information about the involvement of Kolomoisky and his entourage to the events of May 2, 2014 in Odessa, which led to the massive loss of life. Appropriate instructions were also given to the heads of regional departments of the SBU, the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Justice and the National Bank of Ukraine.