Ukraine Crisis: Dozens Killed in Odessa Fire as Violence Spreads to Country's South

9 years, 11 months ago - May 03, 2014
Ukraine Crisis: Dozens Killed in Odessa Fire...
Thirty-one reported dead in fire linked to riots in Ukraine port of Odessa as Barack Obama threatens tougher new sanctions against Russia

Dozens have died in a building fire in Ukraine after a clash between pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian protesters in the Black Sea port of Odessa.

Ukrainian authorities said 31 people died in the blaze at the city’s trade union building on Friday evening. Twenty-three of the victims died of carbon monoxide poisoning and eight died after leaping from upper storey windows to escape the flames, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

More than 50 people, including 10 policemen, have sought medical attention.

The carnage came after a day of vicious street battles between pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian activists in which both sides hurled cobble stones and molotov cocktails.

Riot police largely stood aside as pro-Russian activists carrying bats and shields and distinguished by the orange and black St. George’s ribbon clashed with activists carrying the yellow and blue colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Witnesses described how the pro-Russians were overwhelmed and forced back to the trade union building, where they attempted to make a final stand before the building caught fire.

Earlier on Friday in Odessa clashes killed four people - the first eruption of violence in the south after weeks of mounting unrest in Ukraine's east. Until now the port on Ukraine's southern Black Sea coast had largely been free of the unrest.

The violence came as US President Barack Obama called on Russia to influence pro-Russian military groups in Ukraine to stand down, threatening further sanctions if they failed to comply.

Mr Obama, speaking at the White House with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said they were united in their desire to impose costs on Russia for its actions in Ukraine.

He said violence escalating in eastern Ukraine is making it obvious to the world that pro-Russia militants there are not peaceful protesters.

He voiced support for the Ukrainian government on the day of its first major offensive aimed at driving out the insurgents occupying government buildings across the east. He says Kiev is moving to "restore order."

Pro-Russia forces shot down two Ukrainian helicopters Friday and Ukraine reported "many" rebels dead and wounded as the interim government in Kiev launched its first major offensive against an insurgency that has seized government buildings across the east.

The Kremlin said Kiev's military move against the insurgents "destroyed" the two-week-old Geneva agreement on cooling Ukraine's crisis.

Fighting broke out around dawn near Slovyansk, a city 100 miles from the Russian border that has become the focus of the armed insurgency. Two helicopter crew members were killed in the crashes, both sides said, and the insurgents reported one member killed.

Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov later said two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and seven wounded in Friday's clashes and the insurgents suffered significant losses, including many killed and injured. It was not clear if the two referred to the helicopter crew.

By early evening, he said the army controlled all of the checkpoints around Slovyansk.

One of the helicopters was hit by a surface-to-air missile, the Ukrainian Security Service said, adding that the sophisticated weapon undercut Russia's claims the city was simply under the control of armed locals. The agency said its forces were fighting "highly skilled foreign military men" in Slovyansk, a city of 125,000 people.

One wounded helicopter pilot was seen in a Rossia 24 television video as being in the hands of pro-Russia forces.

Central Slovyansk still remained in the hands of pro-Russia gunmen, according to AP journalists in the city. Several foreign news crews were detained for several hours Friday before being released.

 

Text by The Telegraph

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