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Hundreds of Odessa residents honor memory of May tragedy victims

At least 48 people died and 247 were injured in the clashes and the fire in the Trade Unions House

ODESSA, January 2. /TASS/. A rally to honor the memory of the May 2014 tragedy victims was held in the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa on Friday.

Hundreds of city residents gathered on the Kulikovo Pole square near the Trade Unions House. They cleared the snow, mounted posters with photos of those killed, lit candles and laid flowers to the improvised memorial.

Activists of public organizations delivered speeches. They noted that those guilty of the the May 2 tragedy have not been punished yet. Many of them, despite evident proof of their crimes, are at large and live an ordinary life.

Besides, those who gathered noted with indignation that official propaganda often shows the May 2 events as a certain feat made by “patriots” who defended the city from “separatists.” The rally participants chanted “Criminals must be brought to account” and “we won’t forget or forgive!”.

The southern Ukrainian city of Odessa saw riots on May 2, during which soccer fans from other cities, as well as Right Sector militants and so-called “Maidan self-defense” representatives from Kiev organized a march along city streets. Clashes with federalization supporters occurred during the march.

Radicals set ablaze the Trade Unions House, where their opponents hid, and a tent camp where activists were collecting signatures for a referendum on Ukraine’s federalization and for the status of a state language for Russian. The attackers did not let anyone leave the burning Trade Unions House building.

At least 48 people died and 247 were injured in the clashes and the fire in the Trade Unions House. Another 48 people were listed as missing. Some Ukrainian politicians asserted that the death toll reached 116 but that the Kiev authorities concealed the facts. Investigators have so far failed to name those guilty of the crime.