Activist Demian Ganul shot dead in Odesa
A man was fatally shot in Odesa’s Prymorskyi district around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 14, with the gunman fleeing the scene, Odesa Oblast police confirmed.
Local outlet Dumska, citing law enforcement sources, identified the victim as Demian Ganul, a prominent activist, though official confirmation of his identity remains pending.
The attack occurred on Ukrainian Heroes Avenue, according to Dumska, with photos of the deceased circulating on local Telegram channels.
Police launched an immediate investigation, deploying a task force and forensic team to unravel the circumstances.
By 11:40 a.m., Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko took the case under his direct supervision, according to MP Oleksii Honcharenko.
The interior minister announced during a parliamentary session that a National Police central team, led by chief Ivan Vyhovskyi, was en route to Odesa.
“I’ve been briefed on what we’ve gathered so far. We have specific leads. Detectives and investigators are working to identify and apprehend the shooter,” Klymenko said, debunking rumors the assailant wore military garb.
Ganul, a Revolution of Dignity participant and founder of the “Street Front” initiative, was a vocal figure in Odesa’s May 2, 2014, clashes against pro-Russian forces.
A former Right Sector member, he also championed animal and environmental causes.
In July 2024, he sought state protection, filing complaints with the SBU and police after Russian online platforms exposed his family’s details and offered $5,000-$10,000 for attacks against him, citing threats and the unsolved murder of linguist Iryna Farion in Lviv as precedent.
A Moscow court had also issued an in-absentia arrest warrant for him on charges tied to monument destruction and attacks on protected sites.
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