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UN Not Responding to Russia's Request of Odessa Tragedy Investigation: Moscow

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Russia still has not received an answer from the United Nations concerning the May tragedy in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told RIA Novosti in an interview.

MOSCOW, September 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia still has not received an answer from the United Nations concerning the May tragedy in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told RIA Novosti in an interview.

"We raised the questions on Odessa, Mariupol, and other subjects at the Security Council meetings. Unfortunately, we have not received a proper answer on the investigation of those incidents. We hope to get some kind of a clear explanation. But so far, we have to state that we have had no such reaction," Gatilov said.

The diplomat added that Russia had also brought up the issue of the use of helicopters with the UN insignia in the Kiev special operation in the east of the country. The UN has not informed Russia on the course of the investigation of this issue, either, he said.

"Back in May, we have raised this issue before the UN Secretariat, we demanded an investigation into those incidents and expressed hope that the UN authorities would give an exacting evaluation of the events and condemn such action, which does not adhere with the UN practice," Gatilov said.

"The secretariat assured us back then that they were in contact with the Kiev authorities and would inform us of the results. To this day, we have not been informed about the results," he added.

On May 2, clashes in Odessa broke out between independence supporters on one side and fans of the Odessa and Kharkiv football teams on the other, later joined by Euromaidan activists.

Pro-Kiev radicals joined by Right Sector militia blocked the anti-government protesters in the House of Trade Unions and set the building with the help of Molotov cocktails. Those trapped inside had little chance of extinguishing the blaze, as fire hoses in the building were out of order.

At least 48 people died, and over 200 were injured. Local officials accused Kiev of covering up the actual death toll of at least 116.

No plausible explanation has been offered for the fact that many of those who died did not try to take refuge on upper floors or the roof, prompting rumors that they were poisoned by an unknown chemical.

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