As Ukraine celebrated Labor Day on Monday morning, residents of Odessa began flocking to the square to pay their respects to the victims of a terrible massacre that was perpetrated there exactly three years ago.
On May 2, 2014, right-wing pro-Kiev extremists chased anti-government protesters into Odessa’s House of Trade Unions and set the building on fire by hurling Molotov cocktails inside. According to official data, the tragic incident saw 48 people killed, including seven women and a minor; another 200 were injured, including 49 policemen and 14 servicemen. Many claim the death toll was several times higher. The events marked the bloodiest civil conflict in Odessa since 1918.