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Police Officer Is Killed in Kiev During Protests Over East Ukraine Vote | Police Officer Is Killed in Kiev During Protests Over East Ukraine Vote |
(about 9 hours later) | |
KIEV, Ukraine — At least one police officer died and about 50 others were wounded on Monday in violent demonstrations here during a contentious vote in Parliament to grant autonomous status to two rebel-controlled zones in eastern Ukraine. | KIEV, Ukraine — At least one police officer died and about 50 others were wounded on Monday in violent demonstrations here during a contentious vote in Parliament to grant autonomous status to two rebel-controlled zones in eastern Ukraine. |
As Parliament moved to approve the concessions, which were fiercely opposed by Ukrainian nationalists but demanded by Russia under a peace process for the two regions, parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, protesters outside the building scuffled with the police. | As Parliament moved to approve the concessions, which were fiercely opposed by Ukrainian nationalists but demanded by Russia under a peace process for the two regions, parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, protesters outside the building scuffled with the police. |
Several loud explosions were heard, and although it was not immediately clear how the officer had died, local news media reported that a military hand grenade had been thrown into the police line. | Several loud explosions were heard, and although it was not immediately clear how the officer had died, local news media reported that a military hand grenade had been thrown into the police line. |
President Petro O. Poroshenko conceded the constitutional change to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia during cease-fire negotiations in February in Minsk, Belarus, when thousands of government soldiers were surrounded in a battle with pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. | President Petro O. Poroshenko conceded the constitutional change to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia during cease-fire negotiations in February in Minsk, Belarus, when thousands of government soldiers were surrounded in a battle with pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. |
The chamber approved the constitutional amendment in a first reading, with 265 lawmakers in the 450-member Parliament voting in favor of the so-called decentralization bill during a raucous session. To alter the Constitution, the amendment requires approval from a supermajority of 300 in a second vote. A separate law would also have to pass to permit autonomy. | |
Supporters of the change say that granting special status to the eastern regions would co-opt a central element of the rebel cause and blunt the drive for separatism. | Supporters of the change say that granting special status to the eastern regions would co-opt a central element of the rebel cause and blunt the drive for separatism. |
But the conflict with pro-Russian separatists has angered Ukrainians to such an extent, opinion polls have suggested, that members of Parliament are struggling to win support from voters for any concession to Mr. Putin. | But the conflict with pro-Russian separatists has angered Ukrainians to such an extent, opinion polls have suggested, that members of Parliament are struggling to win support from voters for any concession to Mr. Putin. |
“They are trading in our blood and our corpses,” said a veteran of the conflict in the east, Volodymyr Natuta, referring to members of Parliament who supported the measure. “They sold out Ukraine.” | “They are trading in our blood and our corpses,” said a veteran of the conflict in the east, Volodymyr Natuta, referring to members of Parliament who supported the measure. “They sold out Ukraine.” |
After the explosion, the police carried a dozen or so bloodied and apparently gravely wounded colleagues to ambulances, with the mayor’s office later reporting that one officer had died. | After the explosion, the police carried a dozen or so bloodied and apparently gravely wounded colleagues to ambulances, with the mayor’s office later reporting that one officer had died. |
It was the first death in politicized street violence in the capital since the 2014 uprising, which overthrew a pro-Russian president after months of protests. | It was the first death in politicized street violence in the capital since the 2014 uprising, which overthrew a pro-Russian president after months of protests. |