Saturday 25 January 2014
Riots Spread Throughout Ukraine
From Ukraine's Capital city the riots in Ukraine have spread to nearly half the country, as angry demonstrators hurled firebombs, rocks and fireworks at officers.
Riot police responded with tear gas and several dozen protesters were rushed to a makeshift medical area to be treated.
27-year-old Artur Kapelan one of the protesters said "we will force the authorities to respect us, not they but we will dictate the conditions of a truce".
After nearly two months of ignoring mass demonstrations calling for him to quit, the Ukrainian President, Mr. Yanukovych offered to meet some of ther demands, this came after crowds angered by the death of two protesters and allegations of abuse by authorities besieged government buildings in scores in the cities of western Ukraine.
The fighting had stopped earlier this week as opposition leaders entered into face-to-face talks with Mr. Yanukovych, although hundreds of demonstrators in ski masks and helmets armed sticks, stones and firebombs were still at the Kiev barricades.
At ameeting with religious leaders, Mr. Yanukovych vowed to push through changes to his cabinet, grant amnesty to dozens of jailed activists and amend harsh anti-protest legislation, at a special parliament meeting on Tuesday.
But Vitali Klitschko, an opposition leader and former world heavyweight boxing champion, declared that the only way to put an end to the street protest was for Mr. Yanukovych to resign.
The rallies broke out after Mr. Yanukovych scrapped a key treaty with the EU in order to secure a bailout loan from Russia.
President Valdimir Putin had pressed to keep Ulraine in his nation's political and economic orbit, but more Ukrainains favour closer ties with the 28-nation EU than a new alliance with Russia.
The west has been urging mr. Yanukovych to compromise with the protesters as well as threatening sanctions against his government.
Labels:
protesters,
Strike,
Ukraine,
Yanukovych
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