The International Advisory Panel set up by the secretary general of the Council of Europe to oversee the investigations into violent incidents which took place in Ukraine from November 30, 2013 onwards has identified four specific obstacles in the investigation into the tragic events in Odesa on May 2, 2014.

While presenting the results of their report at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday, Chair of the International Advisory Group Nicolas Bratza said the first obstacle is the sheer scale of the investigation in Odesa as a large number of people were involved in riots that led to deaths and injuries.

The second obstacle is the lack of investigators who have experience in investigation mass unrest, he said.

Thirdly, other investigations need to be carried out, in particular into the violent events on Maidan and the abuse of power and economic crimes by high-ranking officials of the previous regime, Bratza said.

The fourth obstacle is identifying the perpetrators, as many participants in the unrest covered their faces with masks and witnesses were reluctant to give evidence to the investigators.