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| Q&A: Ukraine's protests | Q&A: Ukraine's protests |
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| Every day since late November, thousands of Ukrainian protesters have been thronging the capital Kiev, in a challenge to the government. Neither side shows any sign of backing down. | Every day since late November, thousands of Ukrainian protesters have been thronging the capital Kiev, in a challenge to the government. Neither side shows any sign of backing down. |
| 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, urging President Viktor Yanukovych to cancel his U-turn and go ahead with the EU deal after all. He refused, and the protests continued, with an estimated 100,000 turning out on 24 November, calling for the president and government to resign. | Thousands of pro-EU Ukrainians poured onto the streets of the capital, urging President Viktor Yanukovych to cancel his U-turn and go ahead with the EU deal after all. He refused, and the protests continued, with an estimated 100,000 turning out on 24 November, calling for the president and government to resign. |
| It was the following weekend, on 30 November in the early hours, that riot police waded in heavily to break up a student protest, leaving dozens of people injured. Anger at the TV pictures only fuelled anger with President Yanukovych, and hundreds of thousands of people joined the Kiev protest in Independence Square on 1 December. | It was the following weekend, on 30 November in the early hours, that riot police waded in heavily to break up a student protest, leaving dozens of people injured. Anger at the TV pictures only fuelled anger with President Yanukovych, and hundreds of thousands of people joined the Kiev protest in Independence Square on 1 December. |
| With no sign of either side backing down, another protest, on a similar scale, was held amid heavy snowfall on 8 December. | With no sign of either side backing down, another protest, on a similar scale, was held amid heavy snowfall on 8 December. |
| Profile: Viktor Yanukovych | Profile: Viktor Yanukovych |
| Who are the protesters? | Who are the protesters? |
| The protesters are mainly from the Kiev area and western Ukraine, where there is a greater affinity with the European Union, than in the Russian-speaking east - though they include eastern Ukrainians too. While many declare their desire for Ukraine to follow a European path, many others are angered by the actions of the government and what they see as the corruption of politicians. | The protesters are mainly from the Kiev area and western Ukraine, where there is a greater affinity with the European Union, than in the Russian-speaking east - though they include eastern Ukrainians too. While many declare their desire for Ukraine to follow a European path, many others are angered by the actions of the government and what they see as the corruption of politicians. |
| Parliament's three opposition movements have all been involved in the protests. Vitali Klitschko, the world heavyweight boxing champion and leader of the Udar (Punch) movement, has been a prominent demonstrator. He is very pro-EU and plans to run for president in 2015. | Parliament's three opposition movements have all been involved in the protests. Vitali Klitschko, the world heavyweight boxing champion and leader of the Udar (Punch) movement, has been a prominent demonstrator. He is very pro-EU and plans to run for president in 2015. |
| 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. | 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. |
| A new development since Ukraine's last major round of unrest, in the 2004 Orange Revolution, is the presence of ultra-nationalists. The far-right group called Svoboda (Freedom) is also protesting, led by Oleh Tyahnybok (pictured second from left). | A new development since Ukraine's last major round of unrest, in the 2004 Orange Revolution, is the presence of ultra-nationalists. The far-right group called Svoboda (Freedom) is also protesting, led by Oleh Tyahnybok (pictured second from left). |
| Another radical right-wing group, which has been blamed for trying to provoke the police, is Bratstvo (Brotherhood), which is not a parliamentary party. | Another radical right-wing group, which has been blamed for trying to provoke the police, is Bratstvo (Brotherhood), which is not a parliamentary party. |
| Ukraine's two different revolutions | Ukraine's two different revolutions |
| 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 free her. Tymoshenko says 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 free her. Tymoshenko says 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 pulling the strings in Kiev? | Is Russia pulling the strings in Kiev? |
| To many observers it looks that way, because Mr Yanukovych's abrupt snub to the EU came after Russia exerted strong economic pressure on Ukraine, and he was called to a last-minute meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin. | To many observers it looks that way, because Mr Yanukovych's abrupt snub to the EU came after Russia exerted strong economic pressure on Ukraine, and he was called to a last-minute meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin. |
| In the run-up to the EU decision, Russia took various economic measures - including time-consuming border checks and a ban on Ukrainian sweets - and threatened others. | In the run-up to the EU decision, Russia took various economic measures - including time-consuming border checks and a ban on Ukrainian sweets - and threatened others. |
| Observers say it was made very clear to Mr Yanukovych that if he signed up with the EU, he would jeopardise Ukraine's significant trade links with Russia. 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. | Observers say it was made very clear to Mr Yanukovych that if he signed up with the EU, he would jeopardise Ukraine's significant trade links with Russia. 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, who was democratically elected in 2010, 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 (27 November) | Analysis: Stuck in the middle with EU (27 November) |