On the anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity, the UAPF recalls how Odessa became part of the struggle for Ukraine's independence. The city, often called the pearl of the sea, was then on the border—between the European pro-Ukrainian future and the Russian past. In this material, we tell how the Odessa people fought for their freedom, and supplement the text with photos of the documentary filmmaker Alexander Gimanov, who witnessed these events.
Start of protests: peaceful actions and pro-Russian provocations
At the beginning of 2014, the south and east of Ukraine were at the epicenter of pro-Russian speeches. In Odessa, where “Anti-Maidan” demanded friendship with Russia, the situation intensified daily. Supporters of rapprochement with the Russian Federation camped on Kulikovo Field, organized rallies and provocations, spreading the ideas of the “Russian measure”.
One of the first significant incidents was the attack of “titushki” on February 19, 2014 on the peaceful action “Do not shoot!” near the regional state administration. Armed with batons, the young men beat the participants of the action and journalists, damaged the equipment. This attack was organized by pro-Russian forces: at first, the “titushki” were settled in a local sanatorium, and they were brought to the Regional State Administration by buses.
On March 3, pro-Russian activists blocked deputies of the regional council who condemned the Russian invasion of Crimea. They raised the flag of Russia over the Regional State Administration, but pro-Ukrainian Odessa residents managed to remove it.
The climax: the tragedy of May 2
The most bloody events took place on May 2, 2014. Pro-Ukrainian Odessa residents together with football fans planned to hold a peaceful march “For the Unity of Ukraine”. Instead, supporters of friendship with the Russian Federation, violating the agreement, attacked the participants of the march. The clashes in Greek Square led to the first deaths. Then the crowd marched to Kulikovo Field, where pro-Russian activists barricaded themselves in the House of Trade Unions. Shooting began, Molotov cocktails flew from both sides. The building caught fire. As a result of this clash, 48 people died: 6 — on Greek Square, 42 — on Kulikovo Field. About 200 people were injured.
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After these tragic events, pro-Russian rallies in Odessa lost support, but the city remained in the crosshairs of propaganda and destabilization actions.
Material about this UAPF published earlier: Mass death of people in Odessa. The confrontation between the participants of the “Euromaidan” and the pro-Russian “Anti-Maidan” in the photos of Oleg Kutsky
Today, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers publishes archival footage of Oleksandr Himanov, taken in the whirlpool of these events, which convey the atmosphere of those days — determination and solidarity of Odessa residents.
“It was felt that the atmosphere was getting worse,” — Oleksandr Gimanov
“At that time, Odessa was very tense,” Alexander recalls. “There seemed to be fewer people who supported Ukraine than in the pro-Russian camp. But this is because most of the most active Odessa residents went to Kiev to join the protests on the Maidan. Instead, the “Anti-Maidan” was mostly made up of the elderly, the marginalized and those who themselves did not understand what they stood for.”
Especially alarming was the appearance of a large number of Russian journalists. “It was a signal that Russia is actively intervening. When they raised the tricolor over the regional council, it became clear that provocations would increase,” says Gimanov.
One of the most acute moments was the attack on journalists and activists on February 19. “Titushok” athletes from the south of the region were brought to the Regional State Administration. Their task was to disperse everyone: protesters, journalists, anyone who opposed Yanukovych's rule. On their helmets there were even stickers “Maidan will not pass”, — recalls the photographer.
“That day there was a massive fight: my colleague got a broken forehead, another broke his arm, and the camera was smashed to the Intera television operator. It was a real horror, because the police did absolutely nothing to stop this violence,” Oleksandr recalls.
The photographer notes that Euromaidan in Odessa differed from the pro-Russian “Anti-Maidan” not only in ideas, but also in mood: “There was always a very positive atmosphere on the Maidan. People wanted change, they wanted to go to Europe, they came with families. Even the idea of renaming Catherine Square to European was a symbol of their aspirations.
“Antimaidan”, according to the photographer, looked completely different. “There were aggressive people who didn't understand what they wanted. They advocated “friendship with Russia,” but in reality it was a cover up. Their actions were often organized by local elites who did not want to allow a repeat of the events in Kiev,” he adds.
The events of May 2, 2014 became decisive in the confrontation. “It was the defeat of the “Anti-Maidan”, which changed the situation in Odessa forever. If it were not for this day, no one knows how it would have ended,” says Gimanov. He believes that it was this moment that became the key in the fact that the “Russian measure” could not take root in Odessa.
The photographer is convinced that the Maidan in Odessa won thanks to the unity of its participants. “Euromaidan was more cohesive, there was more understanding of the common goal. The “anti-Maidan”, on the other hand, was chaotic and lacked a clear vision. In addition, the local elites, fortunately, did not support the pro-Russian sentiment, and this also played an important role,” Oleksandr concludes.
Oleksandr Himanov — was born and lives in Odessa. He has been working as a photojournalist and correspondent since 2009 in the regional online publication “Dumskaya.net”, documenting the life of his hometown. Collaborates with regional and national media, as well as with international photo agencies. With the beginning of a full-scale invasion, it records the consequences of Russian aggression in the south of Ukraine. Instagramphotographer.
