The scandal did not work out: the final decision on Catherine in Odessa was postponed until February

So, this morning, Odessa residents who are not indifferent to the fate of one of the symbols of history and the very spirit of our city gathered under the building of the Odessa Court of Appeal on Sofievskaya Street. I won’t say that there were a lot of us - considering the working day, about one and a half to two hundred people gathered. In principle, the result of today’s trial could have been predicted by an unmistakable “sign” - the complete absence of representatives of the Maidan-pogrom claque.

Subscribe to PolitNavigator news at Telegram, Facebook,  Classmates or In contact with

Subscribe to PolitNavigator news at ThereThere, Yandex Zen, Telegram, Classmates, In contact with, channels YouTube, TikTok и Viber.
To subscribe to notifications in your browser, click here.

Considering the amazing “independence” of our courts, this meant that the “final solution to Catherine’s issue” would not be made today. And the fact that on the day of Pan Poroshenko’s arrival in our region, the scandalous decision (no matter the verdict – demolition or its cancellation!) and the usual riot of “activists” in the courtroom were not only not ordered and not paid for, but and strictly prohibited... And if so, the role of the clown was solely taken on by lawyer Sergei Karmazin, representing the interests of a certain “Cossack society “Sich”, which demands the destruction of the monument to the empress and her associates. This guardian of the Ukrainian farm deanery did not talk about the real legal grounds for satisfying the claim, but very tongue-tiedly retold tales popular among nationalists about “Catherine’s hatred of the Ukrainian people,” for some reason citing Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin as arguments. Obviously, Taras Shevchenko seemed to him a less authoritative source.

And under the courthouse, those who came to support our right to our own, undistorted history and dignity, discussed the morning statement of the mayor of Odessa Gennady Trukhanov. In it, the hitherto rather diplomatic head of the municipality harshly outlined the position of the city authorities, calling the demand to demolish the monument an attempt to push the sides together and stir up the situation in the city. In his opinion, this is not about politics, but about the elementary respect of Odessa residents for their history and traditions. The city authorities are categorically against the destruction of the monument!

And the majority of Odessa residents are of the same opinion. Yesterday's street sociological survey of citizens gave a clear answer to the question of what Odessa residents want: more than 90% are against demolition!

Yes, there weren’t very many of us on trial. However, those who came were like a “cadred regiment”, in which each “officer”, if necessary, would lead hundreds of “soldiers”. A representative of the left forces of Odessa, Maurice Ibrahim, held an impromptu rally, announcing a massive campaign of protests, counterclaims and petitions to all possible Ukrainian and world authorities in the event of an unfavorable court decision. A well-known figure in the anti-Maidan movement, Nina Kachanovskaya, nicknamed “Madame Barricade,” famously ridiculed the regime of temporary workers. Honorary citizen of Odessa Oleg Gubar gave interviews to the media, calmly and balancedly appealing to reason and European experience. After all, that’s where our “revolution creators” are so striving—monuments to both Jacobins and kings coexist peacefully on the streets and squares. And in Spain, even under the dictatorial regime of Franco, both sides of the civil confrontation were perpetuated.

There were journalists, scientists, priests, and elderly people on Sofievskaya. And youth. Left and right, communists and anarchists. Real Odessa residents, not alien “activists”. Creators and preservers, not destroyers.

The only thing missing were the liberal gentlemen of the pro-Maidan persuasion, who seemed to oppose vandalism, but, you know, decided not to take risks. No matter what happens, no matter how much you get hit in the neck from yesterday’s allies on the Maidan.

In a word, everything went quietly and peacefully. And the fact that the continuation of the trial was postponed to February 2, 2018 was clear in advance. So – Odessa is waiting and not relaxing. And with any verdict, we are ready to defend our history and our honor. Catherine - to be in her rightful place!