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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Thousands march in Kiev calling for Ukraine's president to quit | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Supporters of deported former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili demand impeachment of Petro Poroshenko | |
| Agence France-Presse | Agence France-Presse |
| Sun 18 Feb 2018 16.11 GMT | Sun 18 Feb 2018 16.11 GMT |
| Last modified on Sun 18 Feb 2018 19.41 GMT | |
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| Thousands of supporters of the deported former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili have marched through the streets of Kiev, demanding the impeachment of the Ukrainian president. | Thousands of supporters of the deported former Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili have marched through the streets of Kiev, demanding the impeachment of the Ukrainian president. |
| Journalists said an estimated 10,000 people took part in the rally on Sunday, though the ministry of internal affairs put the number at about 3,000. | Journalists said an estimated 10,000 people took part in the rally on Sunday, though the ministry of internal affairs put the number at about 3,000. |
| Protesters carried banners portraying President Petro Poroshenko with a red line drawn over his face. The demonstrators chanted “impeachment”, “resignation” and “Poroshenko is a thief”. | Protesters carried banners portraying President Petro Poroshenko with a red line drawn over his face. The demonstrators chanted “impeachment”, “resignation” and “Poroshenko is a thief”. |
| Saakashvili, 50, who had been living in exile in Ukraine, was detained by masked men at a restaurant in central Kiev and deported to Poland on Monday. | Saakashvili, 50, who had been living in exile in Ukraine, was detained by masked men at a restaurant in central Kiev and deported to Poland on Monday. |
| The state border guard service said he had been residing in Ukraine “illegally” and was sent to the country from where he initially came. | The state border guard service said he had been residing in Ukraine “illegally” and was sent to the country from where he initially came. |
| On Tuesday, Saakashvili gave a press conference in Warsaw and said he had been blindfolded and rushed first by van, then by helicopter, to Kiev international airport. | On Tuesday, Saakashvili gave a press conference in Warsaw and said he had been blindfolded and rushed first by van, then by helicopter, to Kiev international airport. |
| On Wednesday, the opposition leader, who is married to a Dutch woman, arrived in the Netherlands. | On Wednesday, the opposition leader, who is married to a Dutch woman, arrived in the Netherlands. |
| Kiev resident Galina Zagoruiko, one of the protesters on Sunday, said: “People can’t stand it any more – that nothing changes and everything just gets worse.” Like many others, she had come to support a political party founded by Saakashvili. | Kiev resident Galina Zagoruiko, one of the protesters on Sunday, said: “People can’t stand it any more – that nothing changes and everything just gets worse.” Like many others, she had come to support a political party founded by Saakashvili. |
| Saakashvili, a former governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region, was once an ally of Poroshenko but then became one of his greatest critics. Kiev accuses Saakashvili of trying to stage a coup sponsored by allies of former Kremlin-backed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych – a charge he strongly denies. | Saakashvili, a former governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region, was once an ally of Poroshenko but then became one of his greatest critics. Kiev accuses Saakashvili of trying to stage a coup sponsored by allies of former Kremlin-backed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych – a charge he strongly denies. |
| Ukraine stripped Saakashvili of his passport, but he continued to challenge the government, organising frequent protests demanding Poroshenko steps down. | Ukraine stripped Saakashvili of his passport, but he continued to challenge the government, organising frequent protests demanding Poroshenko steps down. |
| With the help of supporters, he crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border in September last year, and was briefly detained in December in Kiev. | With the help of supporters, he crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border in September last year, and was briefly detained in December in Kiev. |
| Saakashvili is wanted by the Georgian government on multiple criminal charges, which he says are politically motivated. | Saakashvili is wanted by the Georgian government on multiple criminal charges, which he says are politically motivated. |
| Ukraine | Ukraine |
| Europe | Europe |
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