This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25182823
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Why do Ukraine protests matter? | Why do Ukraine protests matter? |
| (7 days later) | |
| Day after day thousands of anti-government protesters in Ukraine, one of Europe's biggest countries, have been thronging central Kiev. | Day after day thousands of anti-government protesters in Ukraine, one of Europe's biggest countries, have been thronging central Kiev. |
| What caused the protests? | What caused the protests? |
| The trigger was the government's decision not to sign a far-reaching partnership deal with the EU, despite years of negotiations aimed at integrating Ukraine with the 28-nation bloc. That decision was announced on 21 November. | The trigger was the government's decision not to sign a far-reaching partnership deal with the EU, despite years of negotiations aimed at integrating Ukraine with the 28-nation bloc. That decision was announced on 21 November. |
| Thousands of pro-EU Ukrainians poured onto the streets of the capital - on 24 November the crowd was estimated at more than 100,000. They urged President Viktor Yanukovych to cancel his U-turn and go ahead with the EU deal after all. But he refused, and the protests continue. | Thousands of pro-EU Ukrainians poured onto the streets of the capital - on 24 November the crowd was estimated at more than 100,000. They urged President Viktor Yanukovych to cancel his U-turn and go ahead with the EU deal after all. But he refused, and the protests continue. |
| Anger with President Yanukovych has escalated, and now protesters are demanding that he and his government resign. | Anger with President Yanukovych has escalated, and now protesters are demanding that he and his government resign. |
| Profile: Viktor Yanukovych | Profile: Viktor Yanukovych |
| Who are the protesters? | Who are the protesters? |
| Probably the best-known among them internationally is Vitali Klitschko, a world heavyweight boxing champion turned opposition leader. He heads the Udar (Punch) movement and plans to run for president in 2015. Udar is campaigning for a "modern country with European standards" - that is, loosening ties with Russia and strengthening them with the EU. | Probably the best-known among them internationally is Vitali Klitschko, a world heavyweight boxing champion turned opposition leader. He heads the Udar (Punch) movement and plans to run for president in 2015. Udar is campaigning for a "modern country with European standards" - that is, loosening ties with Russia and strengthening them with the EU. |
| An ultra-nationalist group called Svoboda (Freedom) is also protesting. Its leader, Oleh Tyahnybok, is second-from-left in the picture. | An ultra-nationalist group called Svoboda (Freedom) is also protesting. Its leader, Oleh Tyahnybok, is second-from-left in the picture. |
| Between Mr Tyahnybok and Mr Klitschko stands Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Poland's former prime minister and now opposition leader. Historically Poland has vied with Russia for influence in Ukraine. Western Ukraine used to be part of Poland, and cultural and religious ties remain strong. | Between Mr Tyahnybok and Mr Klitschko stands Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Poland's former prime minister and now opposition leader. Historically Poland has vied with Russia for influence in Ukraine. Western Ukraine used to be part of Poland, and cultural and religious ties remain strong. |
| Other foreign sympathisers have turned up at the rallies. Among them is Russian opposition activist Pyotr Verzilov, husband of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of the jailed members of punk band Pussy Riot. | Other foreign sympathisers have turned up at the rallies. Among them is Russian opposition activist Pyotr Verzilov, husband of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of the jailed members of punk band Pussy Riot. |
| One of the most important Ukrainian protesters is Arseniy Yatsenyuk, parliamentary leader of the country's second biggest party, called Fatherland. He is an ally of former PM Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister now in jail, who is an arch-rival of the president. | |
| Klitschko to seek Ukraine presidency | Klitschko to seek Ukraine presidency |
| The rise of Ukraine's ultra-nationalists | The rise of Ukraine's ultra-nationalists |
| Ukraine country profile | Ukraine country profile |
| Why is Yulia Tymoshenko important? | Why is Yulia Tymoshenko important? |
| Internationally Tymoshenko has become a symbol of opposition to Mr Yanukovych, and a cause celebre in the EU. | Internationally Tymoshenko has become a symbol of opposition to Mr Yanukovych, and a cause celebre in the EU. |
| She was jailed in 2011 for criminally exceeding her powers over a gas deal with Russia in 2009, and is serving a seven-year sentence. Many EU politicians accept her allegation that her trial was politically motivated. The European Court of Human Rights did not go as far, but did rule that her pre-trial detention had been "arbitrary and unlawful". | She was jailed in 2011 for criminally exceeding her powers over a gas deal with Russia in 2009, and is serving a seven-year sentence. Many EU politicians accept her allegation that her trial was politically motivated. The European Court of Human Rights did not go as far, but did rule that her pre-trial detention had been "arbitrary and unlawful". |
| The EU set her release as a key condition for signing the association agreement with Ukraine - but Mr Yanukovych resisted the pressure to do so. She has a serious back ailment and wants to get treatment in Germany. | The EU set her release as a key condition for signing the association agreement with Ukraine - but Mr Yanukovych resisted the pressure to do so. She has a serious back ailment and wants to get treatment in Germany. |
| She has called for the EU-Ukraine agreement to be signed. | She has called for the EU-Ukraine agreement to be signed. |
| In the current protests there are powerful echoes of Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution. Tymoshenko was a key figure in that pro-Western revolution that led to Mr Yanukovych's removal from power, after his election was judged to have been fraudulent. Russia backed him then - and backs him now. | In the current protests there are powerful echoes of Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution. Tymoshenko was a key figure in that pro-Western revolution that led to Mr Yanukovych's removal from power, after his election was judged to have been fraudulent. Russia backed him then - and backs him now. |
| Profile: Yulia Tymoshenko | Profile: Yulia Tymoshenko |
| Is Russia keeping President Yanukovych in power? | Is Russia keeping President Yanukovych in power? |
| To many observers it looks that way, because Russia exerted strong economic pressure on Ukraine in the run-up to Mr Yanukovych's abrupt snub to the EU. | To many observers it looks that way, because Russia exerted strong economic pressure on Ukraine in the run-up to Mr Yanukovych's abrupt snub to the EU. |
| Russia took various economic measures - including time-consuming border checks and a ban on Ukrainian sweets - and threatened others. Ukraine is in a long-running dispute with Moscow over the cost of Russian gas, on which it is heavily reliant. Many Ukrainian firms - especially in the country's Russian-speaking east - also rely on sales to Russia. | Russia took various economic measures - including time-consuming border checks and a ban on Ukrainian sweets - and threatened others. Ukraine is in a long-running dispute with Moscow over the cost of Russian gas, on which it is heavily reliant. Many Ukrainian firms - especially in the country's Russian-speaking east - also rely on sales to Russia. |
| Mr Yanukovych still has a strong support base in eastern Ukraine, and there have been street demonstrations by his supporters. | Mr Yanukovych still has a strong support base in eastern Ukraine, and there have been street demonstrations by his supporters. |
| For centuries Ukraine was controlled by Moscow and many Russians see Ukraine as vital to Russian interests. | For centuries Ukraine was controlled by Moscow and many Russians see Ukraine as vital to Russian interests. |
| Analysis: Stuck in the middle with EU | Analysis: Stuck in the middle with EU |