Tragedy of May 2: Case of ex-chief of Odesa police submitted to court

The Special Investigations Office has submitted to the court the criminal proceedings against the former chief of the Interior Ministry department in Odesa region over the tragedy in Odesa on May 2.

This is reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine.

Former chief of the Odesa police is charged under Part 3, Article 135 (leaving in danger), Part 2, Article 364 (abuse of authority or office), Part 1, Article 366 (forgery in office) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The case will be considered by the Primorsky District Court in Odesa.

The accused is charged with abuse of authority, i.e. the deliberate inaction to obtain certain intangible benefits. The inaction prompted “the occurrence of grave consequences as death of 48 persons, inflicting injuries to 200 persons and material damage worth over UAH 200,000 as well as deliberate leaving without help of those who were in life threatening condition and deprived of opportunities to take measures for self-preservation during the riots in Odesa on May 2, 2014.”

As reported, the police chief could help people, but he did not do that.

He faces up to ten years in prison.

At the time of the tragedy, May 2, 2014, the Interior Ministry department in Odesa region was headed by Petro Lutsiuk. May 3, 2014, Lutsiuk was fired. In May, he was notified of suspicion.

As a reminder, the clash between supporters of Euromaidan and Antimaidan occurred in Odesa center on May 2, 2014. The parties to the conflict masked their faces and were carrying wooden boards, some of them were armed. The police did not respond to street clashes. During the confrontation, the House of Trade Unions was set on fire. The rescuers did not arrive in time, so the fire quickly spread along the floors. As of May 14, the law enforcement officers confirmed 48 deaths as a result of clashes on May 2.