Odessa tragedy survivor: ‘Many people strangled after escaping the fire’ — RT News
Odessa tragedy survivor: ‘Many people strangled after escaping the fire’ — RT News:
Tatyana Ivananko, Odessa massacre survivor (Still from RT video)
However, the crowd of pro-government supporters who were trying to enter the building was quickly becoming bigger.
“They were coming from everywhere,” she added.
According to Tatyana, the radicals started hurling Molotov cocktails, after which the first and the third floors of the House of Trade Unions burst into flames.
Tatyana also recalled that the outraged crowd outside was shouting that they wouldn't let anybody out.
“They were also throwing firecrackers, so people in the halls were sitting on the floor, blinded.” She added, “At that moment you realize there is no way to help these people so you'd better rescue yourself.”
Public services such as police and fire brigade were not rushing to rescue the injured people.
“The police were idle not doing anything,” she recalls. “When firefighters arrived it was too late – too many people had already died, even though the closest fire station is 700 meters away from the site.”
According to the numerous videos released in the Internet, many
victims of the Odessa massacre received bullet wounds. On some of
the videos a man in a bulletproof vest who introduces himself as
sotnik Mykola (“sotnik” is what Maidan group leaders in
Kiev call themselves) is shooting several times in the direction
of the burning House of Trade Unions.
“Have a look at the video,” says Tatyana, pointing to
the footage where Micola is pictured. “This armed man in a
vest is carrying a gun.”
People wait to be rescued on upper storeys at the trade union building in Odessa May 2, 2014. (Reuters / Yevgeny Volokin)
