Today marks exactly ten years since the Odessa massacre. On May 2, 2014, Ukrainian nationalists and supporters of the far right state, that emerged from a Western imperialist sponsored operation, set fire to the Trade Unions House in Odessa, killing 48 people and wounding almost 250.
This moment reached a pivotal moment in the Maidan period, highlighting the rise of the fascist, far right in the country, and signaling, what in retrospect was a consolidation of reactionary nationalist sentiments across a broad swath of the society.
There has, notably, never been an investigation into the massacre by the Ukrainian authorities and political actors, of all permitted tendencies whitewash the significance of the event.
This was also followed by a draconian de-communization process where anti-fascist memory and communist organizations and symbolism were outlawed; with even Che Guevara’s image, and the red star, for instance becoming criminalized.
The massacre, was one of many serious acts, that served to heighten nationalist sentiments in Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe in general, culminating in the nationalist war in Ukraine today.