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Ukraine protesters storm Kiev city council | Ukraine protesters storm Kiev city council |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Protesters in Ukraine have stormed the Kiev city council building, venting their anger over a government decision not to sign a deal on closer EU ties. | |
Police are massing outside the building in preparation for retaking it. | |
Tens of thousands of people have been marching to Kiev's Independence Square, defying a ban imposed a day earlier. | |
Protesters want the resignation of the government and new elections. President Viktor Yanukovych says Russian pressure was behind his decision not to sign. | Protesters want the resignation of the government and new elections. President Viktor Yanukovych says Russian pressure was behind his decision not to sign. |
The BBC's David Stern in the Ukrainian capital reports from outside the city council head office that protesters broke windows to get inside the building. | |
They chanted "Kiev is ours" and hung a Ukrainian flag in the window. | |
Ambulances were pulling up outside the building and there was an acrid smell of smoke, our reporter said. | |
Mr Yanukovych's headquarters, about a kilometre away, were also targetted by demonstrators who commandeered a bulldozer to try to break through police line, Reuters news agency reports. | |
Police used tear gas to force the crowd back. | |
The protests started more than a week ago after President Yanukovych suspended preparations for signing an EU association agreement that would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions. | The protests started more than a week ago after President Yanukovych suspended preparations for signing an EU association agreement that would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions. |
Mr Yanukovych argued that Ukraine could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposed the deal. | Mr Yanukovych argued that Ukraine could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia, which opposed the deal. |
The Ukrainian president has said he is "deeply outraged" by events at opposition protests in Kiev. | |
He was speaking after police violently dispersed an opposition camp on Saturday. Several Western countries condemned the police intervention. | |
Jailed opposition leader and ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko earlier urged Ukrainians "not to leave the authorities' actions unanswered". | Jailed opposition leader and ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko earlier urged Ukrainians "not to leave the authorities' actions unanswered". |
She has been on hunger strike since Monday over the failure to sign the EU agreement. | She has been on hunger strike since Monday over the failure to sign the EU agreement. |