Case of ex-deputy Chernov, who called for Russia, sent to court in Odesa

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation have completed a pre-trial investigation against former Odesa City Council deputy Valentyn Chernov and sent an indictment on high treason and encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine to the court.

This was reported by the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation.

The investigation established that at the end of February 2014, the defendant, acting in collusion with representatives of the political structures of the aggressor state, organized a mass pro-Russian event in Odesa. Its participants called on the Russian leadership to send troops into the territory of Ukraine, allegedly to protect the Russian-speaking population.

The accused also kept in touch with representatives of the aggressor state, passed them information about the socio-political situation in the region and coordinated the activities of controlled pro-Russian organizations.

In addition, he publicly supported the illegal "referendum" on the accession of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation and called for a similar "referendum" in Odesa. Being on the territory of the Russian Federation before the full-scale invasion, the defendant participated in public events where he approved the actions of the aggressor state. The former MP is currently in custody.

The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv imposed a pre-trial restraint in the form of detention on the former deputy of the Odesa City Council in October 2025. In 2014, this politician was the head of the Southern District of the Coordinating Council of Organizations of Russian Compatriots (CCORS). This structure, according to the investigation, was directly involved in the provocations that led to the tragic events in Odesa in May 2014.

What happened on May 2, 2014

The events of May 2, 2014 began in the area of Greek Square. On that day, at around 15:00, fans of the football clubs Chornomorets and Metalist, together with the townspeople, decided to walk the streets of Odesa in a peaceful march "For United Ukraine" before the match. At the same time, more than 300 Anti-Maidan participants marched in a parallel procession. In the area of Hretska Square, the two columns crossed. Then mass riots broke out. Shots were fired during the clashes. As a result of the confrontation on the central streets of Odesa, six people died, all from gunshot wounds.

Later, at around 19:00, the conflict between Euromaidan and Anti-Maidan supporters moved to the Trade Union Building on Kulykove Pole. Maidan supporters and football fans began to storm the tent city. When it was destroyed, more than 300 people ran into the building, where they were blocked. Eventually, a fire broke out in the Trade Union Building. As a result, according to the official version of the investigation, 32 people died from carbon monoxide, and another 10 died jumping out of windows.

What the investigation showed

During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that the deputy was involved in anti-Ukrainian activities ordered by the Russian Federation. Thus, in late February 2014, the defendant received clear instructions from a Russian curator to destabilize the situation in Odesa. He acted as part of the so-called coordination council together with well-known Russian provocateurs.

In particular, in March-April 2014, the former official received information from pro-Russian figures about plans to seize the Odesa Regional Council building and instructions to support the action. He passed everything on to representatives of the "coordination council" and coordinated information support for this action with them. He also repeatedly publicly called for a referendum on the autonomy of Odesa region, "the need to protect the population of the South and South-East of Ukraine", and an end to "discrimination against the Russian language and granting it a special status".

In April-May 2014, he repeatedly met with officers of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, from whom he received instructions on "protecting Russian speakers" and passed them on to controlled NGOs in Ukraine.

It was the members of the "coordination council" who organized the so-called "Anti-Maidan" rally on Kulykove field in Odesa. During the provocative event, an appeal was initiated to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops to Ukraine, allegedly to "protect the rights of Russian-speaking citizens." However, the main purpose of the provocative action was the openly provocative actions of the curators, which led to the tragic events in Odesa on May 2, 2014.

Кирило Бойко