A protester walks past a burning pro-Russian tent camp near the trade union building in Odessa on May 2, 2014
Kiev:
More than 130 people have been detained in Ukraine's southern port city of Odessa after dozens were killed in a fire and street fighting involving pro-Russian and groups supporting the government in Kiev, police said on Saturday.
In a statement, local police chief Petro Lutsiuk said those detained could face charges ranging from participating in riots to premeditated murder for Friday's street battles, which resulted in the city's trade union building being set on fire.
Most of those killed either choked on smoke or died after jumping out of the building's windows, officials said.
Police quickly lost control on Friday as hundreds of men including soccer fans staged running battles across the city. Lutsiuk said the police would do everything "to prevent such tragedies in the future".
In a statement, local police chief Petro Lutsiuk said those detained could face charges ranging from participating in riots to premeditated murder for Friday's street battles, which resulted in the city's trade union building being set on fire.
Most of those killed either choked on smoke or died after jumping out of the building's windows, officials said.
Police quickly lost control on Friday as hundreds of men including soccer fans staged running battles across the city. Lutsiuk said the police would do everything "to prevent such tragedies in the future".
© Thomson Reuters 2014
