21 June 2014 — Voice of Russia

Twenty people died on May 2 in Odessa from poisoning with gas, smoke and fumes, head of the Odessa regional bureau of forensic medical examination, Grigory Krivda informed RIA Novosti.

According to Krivda, nine people died from carbon monoxide poisoning, two died in a hospital because of severe burns of the body, three – because of severe burns of the respiratory tract and body.

UN report on Ukraine whitewashes Kiev authorities responsible for Odessa massacre – Moscow

Earlier, deputies of the Verkhovna Rada reported that a certain dangerous chemical was used in the House of Trade Unions during the tragedy of May 2. The SBU also said that an unknown substance was found in the building and sent for an international expertise.

“Another five people /received/ burns of the respiratory tract in combination with poisoning with unspecified gases and combustion products. One person received burns of the respiratory tract in combination with poisoning with unspecified gases. The largest group /received/ poisoning with unspecified gases, smoke and fumes – 14 people,” Krivda said.

According to his data, six people died of gunshot wounds received in the center of the city; bodies of two people who died during the mass riots in the House of Trade Unions are still not identified.

Many Ukrainians blame US for May 2 Odessa atrocity – US media

While some residents of Odessa believe that the government in Kiev is responsible for the atrocity that happened in the Trade Union building on May 2 and which resulted in deaths of at least 48 peaceful pro-federalization protesters, others believe that the US is to blame, Hal Foster writes in USA Today.

Tragedy in Odessa is ‘appearance of blatant fascism’ – Russian FM Lavrov

Having visited the site of the massacre when family and friends were holding a memorial observance for the victims and interviewed some of them, Mr. Foster noted that many of them, especially women, expressed extreme hostility toward the US. “I’ve met hundreds of Russia-leaning Ukrainians over the past 12 years. A handful seemed wary because I was American, but most were friendly. I had never encountered outright hostility until this day,” he remarks.

“This was the hand of your president,” one of the women interviewed by Mr. Foster said. “Tell Obama that Ukraine is not Iraq or Yugoslavia. Our children are dying.”

Overall, out of eight people the journalist had managed to interview, seven believed that the US was stoking the conflict. “I walked away concluding that the United States has a lot of work to do to win the hearts and minds of the millions of Ukraine’s Russia-leaning population,” Mr. Foster writes.

Chloroform found in Odessa House of Unions – Ukrainian Interior Ministry

Chloroform was discovered in the House of Unions in Odesa, where several dozen people were killed in flames on May 2, chief of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry’s Main Investigative Department Vitaly Sakal announced.

“Chloroform was found in the litter and soot when the House of Unions was being examined. Chloroform is normally used in surgical operations. We have yet to establish why this substance was there,” Sakal said at a press briefing on Monday.

“According to experts, inhaling chloroform vapors obstructs the breathing, which is what happened in our case. The cause of the 32 deaths in Odesa on May 2 was heart failure and breathlessness under the impact of an unidentified substance, not as a result of the high temperature,” he said. Sakal also said that the mixture containing chloroform had been in the House of Unions for quite a few days.

“According to experts, if the substance remains in the open air, it becomes toxic. Heating is not needed in this case. Inhaling its vapors leads to irreparable damage for humans,” he said. Sakal said that the Ukrainian law enforcement services had urged the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine to provide skilled experts to assist Ukrainian specialists.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_21/20-people-died-from-poisoning-with-unknown-gas-in-Odessa-House-of-Trade-Unions-forensic-expert-0766/