DISINFO: The Odessa fire tragedy was premeditated action by the neo-Nazis
SUMMARY
The Odessa tragedy was not a fire that originated accidentally as they would have us believe today. The massacre had been planned for some time by right-wing extremists, neo-Nazis, and pro-Western Ukrainian nationalists. Before the molotov cocktails were launched, the water and electricity supply was cut off in the building, and the Nazi criminals who broke into it to kill the peaceful protesters already knew the interior perfectly well.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Odesa tragedy alleging that a Ukrainian Nazi junta was planning the killing of people in the House of Unions.
There is no evidence that the Ukrainian government was involved in the Odessa tragedy.
The flames were still smoldering when Russia first began presenting the conflagration as a massacre by Ukrainian nationalists. This has continued regardless of several investigations, by the bipartisan 2 May Group, the Council of Europe’s International Advisory Panel and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Each has found that the earlier disturbances began when a large group of pro-Russian activists attacked a peaceful march in support of Ukrainian unity. From then on, weapons were used by both sides and six people were killed. Toward evening, pro-Ukrainian activists headed towards Kulikove Pole Square intending to destroy a tent camp set up by pro-Russian activists. The latter responded with gunfire and Molotov cocktails from the roof and windows of the Trade Union building. All independent reports agree that with Molotov cocktails being thrown both at and from the building, it is impossible to determine the source of the fire which caused the death of 42 pro-Russian activists.
No trial has yet established the responsibilities of the different actors before a court. A total of 5 cases on trials and 3 investigations are currently ongoing.
Media reported about the tragedy in May 2014: the BBC, the Guardian, the DW. A chronology of the events has been established (1 and 2) and a non-partisan documentary film by Ukrainian Channel 7 has collected testimonies: May 2nd without Myth.
The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has long been a cornerstone of pro-kremlin disinformation efforts. This has already been widely debunked and addressed on EUvsDisinfo.
Read similar disinformation cases about the May 2 tragedy in Odessa: on May 2, 2014, Ukrainian fascists executed 48 residents of Odessa; death squads used by Ukraine to burn protesters in Odesa on May 2, 2014; the CIA and Victoria Nuland helped the Ukrainian secret service to orchestrate deaths of pro-Russian protesters in Odesa in May 2014; on May 2, 2014, Ukrainian authorities killed peaceful demonstrators.