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| Thousands Demand Resignation of Ukraine Leader | |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — Enraged by a violent crackdown by security forces, Ukrainians took to the streets with new, revolutionary urgency on Sunday, with hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich and a realignment of the country away from Russia toward Europe. | KIEV, Ukraine — Enraged by a violent crackdown by security forces, Ukrainians took to the streets with new, revolutionary urgency on Sunday, with hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich and a realignment of the country away from Russia toward Europe. |
| “I want the authorities to know that this is not a protest; this is a revolution!” Yuri V. Lutsenko, a former interior minister and an organizer of the Orange Revolution nine years ago, told a vast crowd here in Independence Square that many observers said outstripped even the biggest gatherings in 2004. | “I want the authorities to know that this is not a protest; this is a revolution!” Yuri V. Lutsenko, a former interior minister and an organizer of the Orange Revolution nine years ago, told a vast crowd here in Independence Square that many observers said outstripped even the biggest gatherings in 2004. |
| “Revolution!” the crowd roared back. “Revolution!” | “Revolution!” the crowd roared back. “Revolution!” |
| Eleven days of intensifying protests over Mr. Yanukovich’s refusal to sign political and free trade accords with the European Union have now directly shaken the president’s prospects of remaining in power. Cracks have begun to emerge in his political base: His chief of administration was reported to have resigned, and a few members of Parliament quit his party and decried the police violence. | Eleven days of intensifying protests over Mr. Yanukovich’s refusal to sign political and free trade accords with the European Union have now directly shaken the president’s prospects of remaining in power. Cracks have begun to emerge in his political base: His chief of administration was reported to have resigned, and a few members of Parliament quit his party and decried the police violence. |
| Many Ukrainians see the agreements with Europe as crucial steps toward a brighter economic and political future, and as a way to break free from the grip of Russia and from Ukraine’s Soviet past. Now, the outcry over Mr. Yanukovich’s abandonment of the accords is pushing Russia into a corner. | Many Ukrainians see the agreements with Europe as crucial steps toward a brighter economic and political future, and as a way to break free from the grip of Russia and from Ukraine’s Soviet past. Now, the outcry over Mr. Yanukovich’s abandonment of the accords is pushing Russia into a corner. |
| The Kremlin, which has supported Mr. Yanukovich as a geopolitical ally for years despite its frequent annoyance with him, used aggressive pressure to persuade him not to sign the accords. Now the anger over Russia’s role has made it all but impossible for Mr. Yanukovich to take the alternative offered by the Kremlin — joining a customs union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Any compromise with the protesters would have to revive the accords with Europe, and reduce Russia’s sway. | The Kremlin, which has supported Mr. Yanukovich as a geopolitical ally for years despite its frequent annoyance with him, used aggressive pressure to persuade him not to sign the accords. Now the anger over Russia’s role has made it all but impossible for Mr. Yanukovich to take the alternative offered by the Kremlin — joining a customs union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Any compromise with the protesters would have to revive the accords with Europe, and reduce Russia’s sway. |
| Even as Mr. Yanukovich was said to be considering declaring a state of emergency, parliamentary leaders began contemplating various ways to curtail his powers, rather than remove him from office entirely. Volodymy Rybak, the speaker of the Parliament, which is controlled by Mr. Yanukovich’s Party of Regions, on Sunday called for “round-table talks” to help resolve the crisis. Similar talks were conducted in 2004 to resolve the disputes that set off the Orange Revolution. | Even as Mr. Yanukovich was said to be considering declaring a state of emergency, parliamentary leaders began contemplating various ways to curtail his powers, rather than remove him from office entirely. Volodymy Rybak, the speaker of the Parliament, which is controlled by Mr. Yanukovich’s Party of Regions, on Sunday called for “round-table talks” to help resolve the crisis. Similar talks were conducted in 2004 to resolve the disputes that set off the Orange Revolution. |
| The steady escalation of the protests — and the threat of further violent crackdowns — has created a volatile situation that showed no sign of abating. | The steady escalation of the protests — and the threat of further violent crackdowns — has created a volatile situation that showed no sign of abating. |
| More violence erupted on Sunday afternoon when demonstrators clashed with a battalion of police officers guarding the presidential administration building. Smoke bombs and stun grenades were set off, and the police responded with tear gas. | More violence erupted on Sunday afternoon when demonstrators clashed with a battalion of police officers guarding the presidential administration building. Smoke bombs and stun grenades were set off, and the police responded with tear gas. |
| The authorities reported Sunday night that about a hundred police officers and more than 50 protesters were injured, including some with burns to their eyes from tear gas. Witnesses said that some protesters, including women, were beaten brutally. | |
| The police made scattered arrests, but did not immediately release a tally. | The police made scattered arrests, but did not immediately release a tally. |
| Protest leaders said they intended to make Mr. Yanukovich a prisoner in his own capital on Monday, with streets blocked, government buildings surrounded or occupied and possibly a general strike by workers and students. A map was posted on Facebook showing supporters where to put their vehicles to obstruct traffic. | Protest leaders said they intended to make Mr. Yanukovich a prisoner in his own capital on Monday, with streets blocked, government buildings surrounded or occupied and possibly a general strike by workers and students. A map was posted on Facebook showing supporters where to put their vehicles to obstruct traffic. |
| By Sunday evening, demonstrators had taken police barriers meant to keep them out of Independence Square and repositioned them to mark their own control of a large area in the city center. | By Sunday evening, demonstrators had taken police barriers meant to keep them out of Independence Square and repositioned them to mark their own control of a large area in the city center. |
| There were demonstrations in cities like Lviv and Chernivtsi, in the generally pro-European western part of Ukraine, and also in the predominantly Russian-speaking east, which tends to favor close ties with Moscow and where Mr. Yanukovich has his main base of support. Several thousand people rallied in Dnipropetrovsk in the southeast, defying a court order banning a protest there. Even in Donetsk, Mr. Yanukovich’s hometown in the east, hundreds rallied in favor of European integration. | There were demonstrations in cities like Lviv and Chernivtsi, in the generally pro-European western part of Ukraine, and also in the predominantly Russian-speaking east, which tends to favor close ties with Moscow and where Mr. Yanukovich has his main base of support. Several thousand people rallied in Dnipropetrovsk in the southeast, defying a court order banning a protest there. Even in Donetsk, Mr. Yanukovich’s hometown in the east, hundreds rallied in favor of European integration. |
| Serhiy Lyovochkin, the chief of the presidential administration staff, reportedly resigned on Saturday over the crackdown. At least five lawmakers from the Party of Regions spoke out forcefully against the police violence, and at least two, David Zhvania and Inna Bohoslovska, said they had quit the party. Ms. Bohoslovska sent a text message to a protest leader, Yegor Sobolev, telling him: “If I can be useful, I am here. Let’s go to the rally.” | Serhiy Lyovochkin, the chief of the presidential administration staff, reportedly resigned on Saturday over the crackdown. At least five lawmakers from the Party of Regions spoke out forcefully against the police violence, and at least two, David Zhvania and Inna Bohoslovska, said they had quit the party. Ms. Bohoslovska sent a text message to a protest leader, Yegor Sobolev, telling him: “If I can be useful, I am here. Let’s go to the rally.” |
| There were signs that some of Ukraine’s wealthiest business leaders, known as oligarchs, were turning against Mr. Yanukovich as well, or at least were positioning themselves for a major shift in the government. Mr. Sobolev said that a television channel owned by Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man, invited him to appear in prime time, which he took to be an effort by Mr. Akhmetov to reach out to the opposition. | There were signs that some of Ukraine’s wealthiest business leaders, known as oligarchs, were turning against Mr. Yanukovich as well, or at least were positioning themselves for a major shift in the government. Mr. Sobolev said that a television channel owned by Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine’s richest man, invited him to appear in prime time, which he took to be an effort by Mr. Akhmetov to reach out to the opposition. |
| The Orange Revolution in 2004 also centered on mass protests against Mr. Yanukovich, in response to blatant election fraud that made him the easy winner of the presidential election that year, contradicting early returns and exit polls that showed him losing to Viktor A. Yushchenko. The protests led to a new election that Mr. Yushchenko won, but Mr. Yanukovich made a comeback in 2010, defeating Yulia V. Tymoshenko, the former prime minister. Ms. Tymoshenko has since been prosecuted and imprisoned for abuse of authority. | The Orange Revolution in 2004 also centered on mass protests against Mr. Yanukovich, in response to blatant election fraud that made him the easy winner of the presidential election that year, contradicting early returns and exit polls that showed him losing to Viktor A. Yushchenko. The protests led to a new election that Mr. Yushchenko won, but Mr. Yanukovich made a comeback in 2010, defeating Yulia V. Tymoshenko, the former prime minister. Ms. Tymoshenko has since been prosecuted and imprisoned for abuse of authority. |
| Although Mr. Yanukovich condemned the police violence on Saturday and promised an investigation, his government drew heavy international criticism, including from the United States. | Although Mr. Yanukovich condemned the police violence on Saturday and promised an investigation, his government drew heavy international criticism, including from the United States. |
| The chief of the Kiev police, Valery Koryak, submitted his resignation on Sunday, saying he had given the order to use force, though it was not clear whether he had control over the officers involved. The interior minister, Vitaliy Zakharchenko, did not accept the resignation, but said he was suspending Mr. Koryak pending the investigation. | The chief of the Kiev police, Valery Koryak, submitted his resignation on Sunday, saying he had given the order to use force, though it was not clear whether he had control over the officers involved. The interior minister, Vitaliy Zakharchenko, did not accept the resignation, but said he was suspending Mr. Koryak pending the investigation. |
| Mr. Zakharchenko also publicly apologized for the use of excessive force, but his apology did little to ease public outrage. | Mr. Zakharchenko also publicly apologized for the use of excessive force, but his apology did little to ease public outrage. |
| Unlike the protests of 2004, which focused on installing a particular leader, the current protests stem from the thwarted ambitions of millions of Ukrainians who view integration with Europe as a step toward eliminating rampant corruption, overhauling the justice system and generally improving the standard of living. | Unlike the protests of 2004, which focused on installing a particular leader, the current protests stem from the thwarted ambitions of millions of Ukrainians who view integration with Europe as a step toward eliminating rampant corruption, overhauling the justice system and generally improving the standard of living. |
| “People are not on the street to support exact politicians,” Mr. Sobolev said. “There are even a lot of people who said we don’t need politicians. The general opinion was something closer to the American and European ideal — that the real power should be citizens, not ministers, not presidents, not politicians.” | “People are not on the street to support exact politicians,” Mr. Sobolev said. “There are even a lot of people who said we don’t need politicians. The general opinion was something closer to the American and European ideal — that the real power should be citizens, not ministers, not presidents, not politicians.” |
| Even so, civic activists agreed on Saturday night to allow the three main opposition parties to take the lead in organizing the protests: Ms. Tymoshenko’s Fatherland coalition; the Udar party led by the boxing champion Vitali Klitschko; and the nationalist Svoboda party, led by Oleg Tyagnibok. | Even so, civic activists agreed on Saturday night to allow the three main opposition parties to take the lead in organizing the protests: Ms. Tymoshenko’s Fatherland coalition; the Udar party led by the boxing champion Vitali Klitschko; and the nationalist Svoboda party, led by Oleg Tyagnibok. |
| Mr. Sobolev said the civic activists wanted to tap into the parties’ financial and organizational resources. Standing near Shevchenko Park, where demonstrators began their march on Sunday, he pointed to a loudspeaker truck belonging to the Fatherland party. “See, they have these things,” he said. | Mr. Sobolev said the civic activists wanted to tap into the parties’ financial and organizational resources. Standing near Shevchenko Park, where demonstrators began their march on Sunday, he pointed to a loudspeaker truck belonging to the Fatherland party. “See, they have these things,” he said. |
| Demonstrators in Kiev waved blue and yellow Ukrainian and European Union flags and chanted “Thieves out!” “Shame!” and “Criminals behind bars!” The crowd included the young and old, parents carrying small children on their shoulders and students who occasionally chanted the names of their schools as they marched. Every so often, another cry would go up: “Revolution! Revolution!” | Demonstrators in Kiev waved blue and yellow Ukrainian and European Union flags and chanted “Thieves out!” “Shame!” and “Criminals behind bars!” The crowd included the young and old, parents carrying small children on their shoulders and students who occasionally chanted the names of their schools as they marched. Every so often, another cry would go up: “Revolution! Revolution!” |
| Adrian Karatnycky, an expert on Ukraine with the Atlantic Council of the United States, a research group, said the protests were initiated by members of a new post-Communist generation who are increasingly frustrated that their country seems stuck in the past. | Adrian Karatnycky, an expert on Ukraine with the Atlantic Council of the United States, a research group, said the protests were initiated by members of a new post-Communist generation who are increasingly frustrated that their country seems stuck in the past. |
| “The Euro-revolution is a mobilization around an aspiration — Ukraine’s development along a European path,” Mr. Karatnycky said. | “The Euro-revolution is a mobilization around an aspiration — Ukraine’s development along a European path,” Mr. Karatnycky said. |