The ECtHR issued a decision accusing Ukraine of inaction during the mass confrontations in Odesa in 2014
On March 13, 2025, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled decision, in which he admitted that Ukraine showed inaction during clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists in Odesa on May 2, 2014, which resulted in the death of 48 people. At the same time, the ECtHR recognized that Russian propaganda played a role in provoking the tragedy, which contributed to the spread of misinformation and the escalation of the conflict in Odesa. However, this does not absolve Ukraine from responsibility, since it did not take measures to save people, and later – to bring the culprits to justice.
Relatives of 25 dead and three injured persons appealed to the ECtHR with claims against Ukraine. Among the plaintiffs were relatives of two pro-Ukrainian activists who died from gunshot wounds, as well as families of three accidental victims. Other plaintiffs are members of the Anti-Maidan or their relatives who found themselves in the engulfed in flames House of Trade Unions. The court emphasized that it considers the case without taking into account the political preferences of the parties.
The plaintiffs stated that it was the inaction of the Ukrainian authorities that contributed to the development of the tragic events. The ECtHR found that the Odesa police had information about preparations for riots, but ignored it. In addition, local authorities destroyed evidence of the tragedy under the guise of “official cleaning” of the territory. Volodymyr Bodelan, the head of the regional department of the State Emergency Service, played a decisive role in delaying the arrival of fire engines, according to the Court’s conclusions, who personally ordered not to send fire engines to extinguish the fire, but no criminal case was ever brought against him, which allowed him to later flee to Russia. Local authorities deliberately destroyed evidence at the scene of the tragedy, under the guise of “cleaning” the area.
The ECtHR drew special attention to the inaction of the Ukrainian authorities in the following years regarding the prosecution of the guilty. A significant number of Odesa officials responsible for the violations fled to Russia, where they not only avoided persecution but also made careers, especially after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The court emphasized that, despite the weakening of the Ukrainian government due to Russian aggression in Crimea and Donbas, it was not exempted from the duty to act to prevent violence and protect the lives of citizens. Thus, the decision of the ECtHR became an important signal for Ukraine about the need for a deep analysis of past mistakes and increased responsibility for the events that led to the loss of human lives.
The ECtHR concluded that Ukraine violated the article of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the right to life. In this regard, the state is obliged to pay compensation: EUR 15,000 to the families of the victims, EUR 12,000 to the three victims who survived the fire, but received significant burns. The highest compensation — 17,000 euros — was awarded to the daughter of Mykhailo Vyacheslavov, who died in the Trade Union Building. She also complained about the long-term refusal of the Ukrainian authorities to hand over the body for burial.
We will remind you that on May 2, 2014, a tragic event took place in Odesa, which shook Ukraine and the whole world. During clashes between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists, a fire broke out in the House of Trade Unions, resulting in the death of 48 people. This event became one of the sharpest points in the context of the conflict that erupted after the Revolution of Dignity.
