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Violent Protest Follows Kiev Vote on Autonomy for East Ukraine 2 More Officers Die in Violent Protest Over Autonomy for East Ukraine
(about 14 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — The results of a fiercely contested parliamentary vote over autonomy for eastern Ukraine were counted on Monday, partly in blood: 265 in favor, three major parties opposed and one dead policeman. KIEV, Ukraine — The results of a fiercely contested parliamentary vote over autonomy for eastern Ukraine were counted on Monday, partly in blood: 265 in favor, three major parties opposed and one dead policeman.
About 120 other officers were also wounded in an attack during a protest that intensified after Parliament approved a measure on constitutional changes that could grant autonomy to parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. About 130 other officers were wounded, the authorities said Tuesday, in an attack during a protest that intensified after Parliament approved a measure on constitutional changes that could grant autonomy to parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
The authorities said a man later identified as a member of a nationalist party had thrown a grenade at the police lines. The authorities said a man later identified as a member of a nationalist party had thrown a grenade at the police lines, killing one police officer. On Tuesday, two more officers died of their injuries while hospitalized, and the Interior Ministry reported that 10 protesters had also been wounded.
The violence underscored the tensions over a vote that many here see as a concession to Russia in exchange for peace.The violence underscored the tensions over a vote that many here see as a concession to Russia in exchange for peace.
Monday’s vote in Parliament was just a first step. Changing the status of the rebel eastern regions, as demanded by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in peace talks in Minsk, Belarus, last winter, involves both an amendment to the Constitution, which must receive final approval from a supermajority of 300 of Parliament’s 450 members, and a separate law passed by that chamber.Monday’s vote in Parliament was just a first step. Changing the status of the rebel eastern regions, as demanded by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in peace talks in Minsk, Belarus, last winter, involves both an amendment to the Constitution, which must receive final approval from a supermajority of 300 of Parliament’s 450 members, and a separate law passed by that chamber.
The measure is fiercely opposed by Ukrainian nationalists and many others, who loathe any concession to Mr. Putin and see him as the driving force behind a civil war that has claimed more than 6,500 lives.The measure is fiercely opposed by Ukrainian nationalists and many others, who loathe any concession to Mr. Putin and see him as the driving force behind a civil war that has claimed more than 6,500 lives.
President Petro O. Poroshenko had conceded the constitutional change, which is included in the text of the Minsk agreement, with a metaphorical gun to his head: thousands of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded by Russian-backed rebels near the Ukrainian railroad town of Debaltseve.President Petro O. Poroshenko had conceded the constitutional change, which is included in the text of the Minsk agreement, with a metaphorical gun to his head: thousands of Ukrainian soldiers surrounded by Russian-backed rebels near the Ukrainian railroad town of Debaltseve.
Supporters of the change say granting special status to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk would co-opt the rebels’ major selling point, blunting the drive for separatism.Supporters of the change say granting special status to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk would co-opt the rebels’ major selling point, blunting the drive for separatism.
Yet the war has angered Ukrainians to such an extent, opinion polls show, that members of Parliament are struggling to win support from voters for any concession.Yet the war has angered Ukrainians to such an extent, opinion polls show, that members of Parliament are struggling to win support from voters for any concession.
“The president is acting in a brave way,” Mikhail Minakov, an associate professor at the Mohyla Academy in Kiev, said in a telephone interview. “He is trying to find a legal solution to meet the agreement. We have very strong opposition to this in society. People don’t want to go on with the war, but don’t want to concede anything, either.”“The president is acting in a brave way,” Mikhail Minakov, an associate professor at the Mohyla Academy in Kiev, said in a telephone interview. “He is trying to find a legal solution to meet the agreement. We have very strong opposition to this in society. People don’t want to go on with the war, but don’t want to concede anything, either.”
Three parties from the majority coalition in Parliament supporting Mr. Poroshenko opposed the constitutional changes, making it unclear whether the president can ultimately win approval.Three parties from the majority coalition in Parliament supporting Mr. Poroshenko opposed the constitutional changes, making it unclear whether the president can ultimately win approval.
Hopes for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis have been rising lately in Europe as oil prices have sunk, increasing financial pressure on Mr. Putin. With the Russian economy reeling, the thinking goes, he should be more willing to compromise on eastern Ukraine, the source of damaging Western economic sanctions.Hopes for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis have been rising lately in Europe as oil prices have sunk, increasing financial pressure on Mr. Putin. With the Russian economy reeling, the thinking goes, he should be more willing to compromise on eastern Ukraine, the source of damaging Western economic sanctions.
But that thinking was not shared by many in Ukraine.But that thinking was not shared by many in Ukraine.
“This is not a road to peace and not a road to decentralization,” Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and the leader of one of the dissenting parties, said in comments carried by the news media here. “This is the diametrically opposite process, which will lead to the loss of new territories.”“This is not a road to peace and not a road to decentralization,” Yulia V. Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and the leader of one of the dissenting parties, said in comments carried by the news media here. “This is the diametrically opposite process, which will lead to the loss of new territories.”
As Parliament approved the concessions, protesters outside the building scuffled with police, and shouted, “Shame! Shame!” The demonstrators grew more agitated. Some tore helmets from the riot police and threw them on the paving stones.As Parliament approved the concessions, protesters outside the building scuffled with police, and shouted, “Shame! Shame!” The demonstrators grew more agitated. Some tore helmets from the riot police and threw them on the paving stones.
“They are trading in our blood and our corpses,” said a veteran of the war 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 war in the east, Volodymyr Natuta, referring to members of Parliament who supported the measure. “They sold out Ukraine.”
Several loud explosions were heard. The interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said that a military hand grenade had been thrown into the police line, at a confusing moment when the police were hurling tear-gas canisters in the other direction.Several loud explosions were heard. The interior minister, Arsen Avakov, said that a military hand grenade had been thrown into the police line, at a confusing moment when the police were hurling tear-gas canisters in the other direction.
After the grenade 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 grenade 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 revolution, which overthrew Viktor F. Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president, after months of protests.It was the first death in politicized street violence in the capital since the 2014 revolution, which overthrew Viktor F. Yanukovych, the pro-Russian president, after months of protests.
Mr. Avakov said the police had detained a member of a right-wing paramilitary group, Sych, that is the militant arm of the Svoboda political party, one of the three parties that backed the Maidan street uprising against Mr. Yanukovych last year.Mr. Avakov said the police had detained a member of a right-wing paramilitary group, Sych, that is the militant arm of the Svoboda political party, one of the three parties that backed the Maidan street uprising against Mr. Yanukovych last year.
Officially, the Russian government denies having any hand in propping up the two enclaves in eastern Ukraine. But Ukrainians — not to speak of virtually every Western government and NATO — universally reject that, holding Moscow responsible for all the carnage in the east.Officially, the Russian government denies having any hand in propping up the two enclaves in eastern Ukraine. But Ukrainians — not to speak of virtually every Western government and NATO — universally reject that, holding Moscow responsible for all the carnage in the east.
“Everything is created by Russia and supported by Russia,” Ilona Sologoub, a researcher at the Kiev School of Economics, said of the separatist region. “If Russia doesn’t want it to exist, it will not exist in a few days.”“Everything is created by Russia and supported by Russia,” Ilona Sologoub, a researcher at the Kiev School of Economics, said of the separatist region. “If Russia doesn’t want it to exist, it will not exist in a few days.”
The vote in Parliament that so offended Ukrainian nationalist parties, she said, was not about meeting separatist demands.The vote in Parliament that so offended Ukrainian nationalist parties, she said, was not about meeting separatist demands.
“It doesn’t matter what the separatist governments think,” she said. “It matters what Putin thinks.”“It doesn’t matter what the separatist governments think,” she said. “It matters what Putin thinks.”