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| Violent clashes continue in Ukrainian capital (Image: Ukrainska Pravda) |
Violent clashes
erupted early in the morning of 22 January, as “Berkut” and special security
forces started to attack protesters located in Grushevsky Street in order to
disperse the protesters in European and Independence Square, what has the only
one meaning: Yanukovich’s junta has chosen force scenario.
Storming of
Maidan has started nearly 5 a.m. when protesters have been tired after long
night confrontations and their numbers were relatively small. “Berkut” has
attacked people pushing them down to the European Square, violently beating
them, and using sound and smoke bombs, birdshots and weapons, as “minister if
Interior” Zakharchenko has previously issued a decree allowing riot police to
use weapons against demonstrators. “Cabinet of ministers” of Ukraine has also
lifted ban on using water cannons in sub zero temperatures.
Terrible clashes
and dispersal of protesters resulted in dozens of injured and 4 deaths, all of
them confirmed. Death was caused by the gunshot wounds, according to medical
sources. Protesters were shot by snipers, what was confirmed also by “general
prosecutor” Pshonka in the morning.
Thus, on the Day
of Unity of Ukraine authorities have crossed the red line pushing the conflict
to the serious confrontations threatening Ukrainian people with the possibility
of long fight and even civil war, claim many experts analyzing the current situation.
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| Brutal beating of protesters during dispersal of protests in Kyiv (Image: Radio Svoboda) |
In addition to
that brutal beatings of people continue as “Berkut” and police forces capture
protesters, journalists and doctors and beat them. Many people have been
already arrested and are facing trials for participation in the mass protests
and extremism, as the newly imposed dictatorial laws were put in effect since
22 January.
Western
diplomats and politicians are outraged by the recent events and spread of
violence initiated by Ukrainian “government” and call on Yanukovich to stop
escalation and using force against Ukrainian people. EU representatives and
Ambassadors of Germany, Great Britain and Canada presented on Wednesday on the
meeting with “minister of Foreign Affairs” Leonid Kozhara and “minister of
Justice” Olena Lukash have been also outraged by the behavior of Ukrainian
officials and chronic lies. After more than 1-hour meeting, during which
diplomats were shown video about injuries of security forces and listened to
the speeches of Ukrainian officials, representatives of the Western countries
were denied to address authorities and ask any questions. In addition to that
nobody mentioned the deaths of the protesters, stressed ambassadors. According
to the journalists reports, Western diplomats didn’t hide their emotions and
stressed that the red line was crossed by Ukrainian regime.
USA Stated
Department in its turn declared personal sanctions are already imposed on several
Ukrainian high officials due to the force scenario used by them in Kyiv. US
officials are considering the next steps as well.
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| Riot police and security forces before dispersal of Maidan (Image: Ukrainska Pravda) |
EU
representatives have also announced they are considering the sanctions against
Ukrainian high officials, and as the investigations regarding the bank accounts
of some officials close to Yanukovich and of the members of his family are
ongoing, freezing and arrest of the financial assets of Ukrainian authorities
is also possible, stressed the representatives of EU.
President of
European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso has issued an official statement strongly
condemning escalation of violence justified by Yanukovich’s “government” and
stressed that these events could totally change the relationships between EU
and Ukrainian authorities.
Vice-President
of European Parliament Jacek Protasewich has declared later that the latest
events in Kyiv have shocked EU officials and totally change the situation.
Blood of protesters and deaths on the streets of Ukrainian capital are the red
line, and if the information, that riot police was using live ammunition to
kill protesters, will be confirmed, relationships with this “government” of
Ukraine will be frozen and dialogue with Yanukovich’s regime will be
impossible.
Meanwhile
representatives of Ukrainian opposition and its prominent leaders Arseny
Yatsenyuk, Oleg Tyagnybok and Vitaly Klichko have met with Yanukovich and his “anti-crisis
commission” consisted of Andriy Klyuev (Secretary of National Defense and
Security Council), Olena Lukash (“minister of Justice”) and Andriy Portnov
(advisor of “president”). Yanukovich’s administrations has confirmed that
negotiations will be held, thus, oppositional leaders and Yanukovich are
holding negotiations in the Presidential Administration as violent clashes and
attempts to brutally disperse protesters continue in Kyiv downtown.
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| Clashes between protesters and police in Kyiv (Image: AFP) |
Riot police and
security forces have been actively attacking protesters, shooting on them with
the live ammunition and throwing Molotov cocktails. In addition to that Azarov
has issued a special decree which is actually identical the decree announcing
state of emergency, as this decree allows security forces almost unlimited use
of weapons including live ammunition and also use of water cannons and new
sound and smoke bombs usually being used by Russian OMON. Military technique
and heavy military vehicles have been deployed in Kyiv, there are also official
reports about the additional troops and vehicles moving to Kyiv in order to
disperse protesters.
Situation is
extremely tense and escalated as the street fight continues and more and more
people arrive in Kyiv’s downtown despite the new reports about preparations for
the new attempt of total dispersal of Maidan, massive arrests and activists and
disrupted work on subway in the center of the city. There are moiré than 40
thousand of people currently in European and Independence Square, and more
people arrive.
There are no
signs of the possibility that security forces will retreat and stop the attacks
despite the calls from the people to stand with Ukraine, not with junta.
Negotiations though are ongoing amid a serious threat of the new massive
dispersal of Maidan, as all the cafes, shops and banks located in the area and
in the neighboring streets are closing and people are evacuated from the
offices located nearby. It’s also worth mentioning that the so-called
Anti-Maidan, organized by Yanukovich’s regime on the contrary to Euromaidan and
allegedly supporting Yanukovich and his policies, was evacuated in an organized
way. People were also evacuated from the building of Ukrainian Parliament. There
are also reports that none of the TV channels works in the regions of Ukraine
at the moment. There are also problems with mobile and internet connection as
well. Situation remains extremely tense and alarming.
Later in the
night oppositional leaders came from the Presidential Administration and announced
that negotiations with Yanukovich had no results. Yanukovich refuses to hear
Ukrainian people and their demands and refuses any compromises. By offering to
continue the talks on Thursday Yanukovich is just trying to win more time for
deploying more security forces in the city, as deadly clashes continue till
now.
Meanwhile medics
of Maidan have reported about the new victim of police brutality, thus the
official number of the killed protesters reached five.
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