UPDATE: Up to 38 reported choked to death in the burned buildings of Odessa.
Wondering why Treasury yields plumb new depths, gold's having its best day in a month, and stocks can't keep a bid no matter how many times JPY or VIX is slammed? The answer lies in these disturbing images from Odessa which show Pro-Russian forces under attack by Ukrainian forces, buildings burning, deaths, and of course - most critically - the kind of anti-Russian actions that Vladimir Putin said was the red-line for him taking action...
And pro-Russian camp gone up in flames. Thousands milling around. Explosions, unclear from what pic.twitter.com/HVHSIHvLrR [5]
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [6]
In case you're wondering, no police in sight: pic.twitter.com/vkCpmnb2uo [7]
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [8]
Unions bldg. on fire in Odessa where separatists were holed up. Not for long pic.twitter.com/NAzJOHExQh [9]
— bruce springnote (@BSpringnote) May 2, 2014 [10]
Hellish scenes. Badly wounded are being carried out on makeshift stretchers: pic.twitter.com/XvwPwH8gBx [11]
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [12]
Counted at least 5 dead outside Odessa trade union building.
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [13]
The pro-Russian protesters appear to be being loaded into police vans: pic.twitter.com/dZSxkF9V76 [14]
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [15]
Two dead bodies in #odessa [16]: pic.twitter.com/OYp2IWwQZu [17]
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [18]
Pro-Russian protesters have been brought outside, have hands on head amid mob but are being treated for wounds: pic.twitter.com/9UuiA0CkAt [19]
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [20]
Ldr of Donetsk Peoples' Rep says all 'self-defense' activists shld/can now carry arms. Worrying development in already explosive situation
— Sarah Rainsford (@sarahrainsford) May 2, 2014 [21]
The fire in the trade union building appears to be out, and resistance crushed. Bodies still lying in the street.
— Howard Amos (@howardamos) May 2, 2014 [22]