SIMFEROPOL, May 7 (RIA Novosti) – The first refugees from Odessa in Ukraine arrived at Yevpatoria in Russia's Crimea on Wednesday, a Crimean deputy announced at a meeting of the local parliament.
“Ten people – that is two families – have arrived in Crimea after fleeing from Odessa,” said Nina Permyakova, a deputy in the Crimean State Council.
Both refugee families have been temporary placed at one of the local resorts in Yevpatoria until proper housing is secured, she added.
“The oldest among them is a grandmother, a KGB veteran. The youngest is a child that has just turned two. They have all witnessed the tragedy in Odessa and they tell horrible things,” she said.
On Friday, 46 pro-federalization activists died after being trapped in a fire at the trade union building in Odessa, and over 200 others were injured in a clash between the “anti-Maidan” and “euro-Maidan” supporters in the city.
The skirmishes were the bloodiest episode of violence in Ukraine since the start of the Ukrainian crisis in February.
Permyakova asked Crimean authorities to come up with a system for hosting refugees, as more are expected to arrive from southeastern regions of mainland Ukraine, where clashes between pro-federalization supporters and Ukrainian security forces have raged in recent days, killing dozens and injuring hundreds.
Council Chairman Vladimir Konstantinov said representatives of the Moscow patriarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church were also on their way to Crimea.
The crisis in Ukraine arose from reactions to the violent protest movement in February that led to the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych and the reunification of Crimea with Russia after a referendum in March. Since then, pro-federalization activists have been advocating for similar referendums in southeastern regions.
