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| Massive anti-government protests in Kyiv (Image: Radio Svoboda) |
Massive anti-government protests continue in Ukrainian capital Kyiv and
in other Ukrainian cities as well despite the frosts and snow and threats of
forces dispersal of the protests.
Special Forces and police have cleansed on Monday, 9 December, the perimeter
of the governmental district, earlier blocked by the protesters, and has pushed
demonstrators back to Independence Square, but people remain there and protests
are ongoing. People organize themselves, their life and security on Maidan and
also take measures to clean the snow. Situation is still tense, but the spirits
are really high.
Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs
and Security Policy for EU, has arrived on Tuesday, 10 December, in Kyiv in
order to meet with Ukrainian President and government and with the oppositional
leaders as well. The meeting aimed to help Ukrainian political forces to start
negotiations and to resolve current political crisis in a peaceful way as EU
supports Ukraine and aspirations of its citizens and welcomes democratic
changes in the country.
Catherine Ashton has met with Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich at
nearly 5 p.m. and discussed with him current political situation and possible
ways out. Mrs. Ashton has called on Ukrainian President and government to
listen to the demands of the citizens and to start talks with the oppositional
forces in order to prevent escalation of the situation. She also stressed that
EU strongly condemns any use of force against peaceful demonstrators and call
for the government to avoid violence.
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| Catherine Ashton meets with oppositional leaders Arseny Yatsenyuk, Vitaly Klichko and Oleg Tyagnybok (Image: Liga UA) |
Catherine Ashton has also met later with the leaders of opposition,
Arseny Yatsenyuk, Oleg Tyagnybok and Vitaly Klichko. They have discussed the
situation and the crisis in the country and the ways that enable this crisis to
be resolved. Catherine Ashton stated EU supports Ukrainians and their peaceful
protests and declared that negotiations could be the best solution under
current circumstances.
After official meeting with the representatives of Ukrainian opposition
Catherine Ashton has visited Euromaidan – the main venue of the protests on
Independence Square. She was accompanied by Arseny Yatsenyuk and other
oppositional politicians. Catherine Ashton was met very friendly and warm by
the protesters who have been greeting her and chanting her name. Mrs. Ashton
expressed her support of the protesters.
Earlier on Tuesday Ukrainian opposition has met with Victoria Nuland, US
Deputy of State Secretary John Kerry, who also arrived in Kyiv to mediate the
talks between opposition and government.
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| EU Catherine Ashton and oppositional leaders on Euromaidan (Image: European Commission) |
It’s worth mentioning that on Tuesday there was held a meeting of four
Ukrainian Presidents, current President Victor Yanukovich and his predecessors
Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Victot Yushchenko. Meeting was initiated by
the first President of independent Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk.
The meeting was held in the Ukraine Palace. During the meeting
ex-Presidents call for Mr. Yanukovich to organize negotiations between the
government and opposition as it is the only one possible way to resolve the
crisis peacefully. National dialogue is planned for Wednesday, 2 p.m. local
time, oppositional leaders and representatives of the oppositional parties have
reportedly received invitations to participate in the talks.
Opposition though states it will hold negotiations with the current government
only of the following demands will be met: release of all the unlawfully
detained protesters, journalists and activists; withdrawal of special security forces
and army from the streets of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities and granting
people security; resignation of Ukrainian Minister of Interior Vitaly
Zakharchenko and all the persons responsible for the dispersal of the protests
and beating of demonstrators.
Meanwhile thousands of demonstrators remain in Kyiv downtown protesting
against the current government. Oppositional leaders have warned earlier about
the information they’ve received about the planned storm and dispersal of the
protests, thus the revolutionary headquarters have called for the general mobilization
of protesters.
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| Riot police in Kyiv (Image: Radio Svoboda) |
Security and special forces have started storming of Euromaidan at 1.30
a.m. Wednesday. Lines of riot police are moving towards the lines of protesters
trying to push them back from the streets leading to the governmental quarter.
Barricades erected by the protesters have been destroyed by the police and
security forces, Block posts of the demonstrators have been stormed.
There are reports that the barricades in front of Kyiv City Council have
been also removed by the riot police, policemen and personnel of security
forces are storming the building. Protesters on Independence Square are
surrounded by the lines of riot police approaching from all the directions.
Protesters and activists are calling for the soldiers to disobey these
orders. Situation is extremely tense with the serious threat of dispersal of
the protests.
Storming of Euromaidan is happening only several hours after official
meeting of Victory Yanukovich with US and EU diplomats and President’s claims
there will be no force used against protesters.
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