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| Ukraine Raids Party’s Office and Encircles Protesters | |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — Even as Ukraine’s besieged president on Monday said he would be open to talks with protest leaders, the situation on Kiev’s streets took on an ominous tone, with security forces raiding an opposition party’s headquarters and beginning to push on the edges of a continuing mass demonstration. | KIEV, Ukraine — Even as Ukraine’s besieged president on Monday said he would be open to talks with protest leaders, the situation on Kiev’s streets took on an ominous tone, with security forces raiding an opposition party’s headquarters and beginning to push on the edges of a continuing mass demonstration. |
| After seeming to lose control of Kiev on Sunday night after a huge rally of hundreds of thousands of people in Independence Square, police forces redeployed on Monday and began efforts to push protesters out of streets near main government buildings. Battalions of police officers moved in and took up positions just outside the square’s perimeter. | After seeming to lose control of Kiev on Sunday night after a huge rally of hundreds of thousands of people in Independence Square, police forces redeployed on Monday and began efforts to push protesters out of streets near main government buildings. Battalions of police officers moved in and took up positions just outside the square’s perimeter. |
| Then, early Monday evening, the Ukrainian security service raided the headquarters of the opposition Fatherland Party and seized computer servers. | Then, early Monday evening, the Ukrainian security service raided the headquarters of the opposition Fatherland Party and seized computer servers. |
| The party’s parliamentary leader, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, is one of the main organizers of the protest movement, which has ballooned in recent days to dominate the streets of Kiev and pressure President Viktor F. Yanukovich after he refused to sign a trade deal with the European Union. But the party is best known as the opposition coalition formed by the jailed former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, whose release has long been demanded by Western leaders. | The party’s parliamentary leader, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, is one of the main organizers of the protest movement, which has ballooned in recent days to dominate the streets of Kiev and pressure President Viktor F. Yanukovich after he refused to sign a trade deal with the European Union. But the party is best known as the opposition coalition formed by the jailed former prime minister, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, whose release has long been demanded by Western leaders. |
| “They came without any notice, without any explanations, fully armed,” said Natalia Lysova, a spokeswoman for Fatherland who often accompanies Ms. Tymoshenko’s daughter, Evgenia, at public appearances. “They broke the door, took all the servers and left.” Ms. Lysova said that the security officers did not arrest anyone. | “They came without any notice, without any explanations, fully armed,” said Natalia Lysova, a spokeswoman for Fatherland who often accompanies Ms. Tymoshenko’s daughter, Evgenia, at public appearances. “They broke the door, took all the servers and left.” Ms. Lysova said that the security officers did not arrest anyone. |
| On Sunday, the security service, known as the S.B.U., issued a curt statement saying that it had opened an investigation into possible treason charges against unnamed politicians. At a news conference with other protest leaders, Mr. Yatsenyuk said on Monday that he had been summoned for questioning on Tuesday. | On Sunday, the security service, known as the S.B.U., issued a curt statement saying that it had opened an investigation into possible treason charges against unnamed politicians. At a news conference with other protest leaders, Mr. Yatsenyuk said on Monday that he had been summoned for questioning on Tuesday. |
| So far, the authorities seem to be holding back from similar investigations of the other two parliamentary leaders at the forefront of the protests, the champion boxer Vitali Klitschko, of the Udar party; and Oleg Tyganibok, of the nationalist Svoboda party. Mr. Tyagnibok’s supporters in particular are among the most fearsome involved in the demonstrations and have led some of the more provocative efforts to occupy buildings and block government offices. | So far, the authorities seem to be holding back from similar investigations of the other two parliamentary leaders at the forefront of the protests, the champion boxer Vitali Klitschko, of the Udar party; and Oleg Tyganibok, of the nationalist Svoboda party. Mr. Tyagnibok’s supporters in particular are among the most fearsome involved in the demonstrations and have led some of the more provocative efforts to occupy buildings and block government offices. |
| Just hours before the raid, Mr. Yanukovich had signaled that he would accept a proposal by three predecessors to hold “a national round table for finding a compromise,” and that initial discussions would begin on Tuesday. But any sense that his willingness to negotiate might defuse the crisis was quickly erased. | Just hours before the raid, Mr. Yanukovich had signaled that he would accept a proposal by three predecessors to hold “a national round table for finding a compromise,” and that initial discussions would begin on Tuesday. But any sense that his willingness to negotiate might defuse the crisis was quickly erased. |
| “We saw on the Internet today some statement about the round table,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said. “We would like to start by saying that it is very difficult to fit a round table into a square сell.” | “We saw on the Internet today some statement about the round table,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said. “We would like to start by saying that it is very difficult to fit a round table into a square сell.” |
| He added: “We understood that this is the way Yanukovich invites us to the round table — a few thousands of Interior forces have arrived already, and I received a summon for interrogation from the General Prosecution Office.” | He added: “We understood that this is the way Yanukovich invites us to the round table — a few thousands of Interior forces have arrived already, and I received a summon for interrogation from the General Prosecution Office.” |
| The raid and police remobilization brought a fresh round of warnings from Western leaders, who reacted in alarm after the security forces violently cracked down on protesters on Nov. 30. | The raid and police remobilization brought a fresh round of warnings from Western leaders, who reacted in alarm after the security forces violently cracked down on protesters on Nov. 30. |
| The American ambassador in Kiev, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, quickly issued a statement on Twitter cautioning against a crackdown. “Peaceful demonstrators must be allowed to continue,” Mr. Pyatt wrote. “Dialogue and nonviolence key, world watching. Opportunity must not be lost.” | The American ambassador in Kiev, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, quickly issued a statement on Twitter cautioning against a crackdown. “Peaceful demonstrators must be allowed to continue,” Mr. Pyatt wrote. “Dialogue and nonviolence key, world watching. Opportunity must not be lost.” |
| The European Union said that Catherine Ashton, the union’s foreign affairs chief, would travel to Kiev this week to try to ease tensions. | The European Union said that Catherine Ashton, the union’s foreign affairs chief, would travel to Kiev this week to try to ease tensions. |
| The security forces’ maneuvering on Monday came amid a driving snowstorm that added a frigid layer of chaos to this churning capital. | The security forces’ maneuvering on Monday came amid a driving snowstorm that added a frigid layer of chaos to this churning capital. |
| The growing protest movement here has largely been pushed by a grass-roots coalition of civic organizations and student groups, and many of the rank-and-file demonstrators are deeply skeptical that organized politicians will be able to deliver the changes that they seek. | The growing protest movement here has largely been pushed by a grass-roots coalition of civic organizations and student groups, and many of the rank-and-file demonstrators are deeply skeptical that organized politicians will be able to deliver the changes that they seek. |
| These include steps to eradicate corruption and cronyism in the government, to reform the judicial system and generally improve the quality of life in the country. | These include steps to eradicate corruption and cronyism in the government, to reform the judicial system and generally improve the quality of life in the country. |
| At their news conference, Mr. Yatsenyuk, Mr. Klitschko and Mr. Tyagnibok reiterated their demands: the release of demonstrators who have been arrested, the punishment of government officials responsible for the violent crackdown on demonstrators on Nov. 30, and the dismissal of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and the rest of the government. | At their news conference, Mr. Yatsenyuk, Mr. Klitschko and Mr. Tyagnibok reiterated their demands: the release of demonstrators who have been arrested, the punishment of government officials responsible for the violent crackdown on demonstrators on Nov. 30, and the dismissal of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and the rest of the government. |
| Those demands put them at odds with not only Mr. Yanukovich but also with Ukraine’s first president, Leonid Kravchuk, who was given credit by Mr. Yanukovich’s office for pushing the idea of round-table discussions. | Those demands put them at odds with not only Mr. Yanukovich but also with Ukraine’s first president, Leonid Kravchuk, who was given credit by Mr. Yanukovich’s office for pushing the idea of round-table discussions. |
| Mr. Yanukovich’s three predecessors — Mr. Kravchuk, Leonid D. Kuchma and Viktor A. Yushchenko — issued a statement last week calling for “round-table” talks, using the same phrase that described negotiations that helped resolve Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution. | Mr. Yanukovich’s three predecessors — Mr. Kravchuk, Leonid D. Kuchma and Viktor A. Yushchenko — issued a statement last week calling for “round-table” talks, using the same phrase that described negotiations that helped resolve Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution. |
| In the statement, the three sharply criticized the government for what they called the “hasty and spontaneous decision” to abandon sweeping political and free trade agreements with the European Union that Mr. Yanukovich had been promising that he would sign for more than a year. “A feeling of being cheated gives the rallies special emotional color and deepens distrust of the authorities,” they said. | In the statement, the three sharply criticized the government for what they called the “hasty and spontaneous decision” to abandon sweeping political and free trade agreements with the European Union that Mr. Yanukovich had been promising that he would sign for more than a year. “A feeling of being cheated gives the rallies special emotional color and deepens distrust of the authorities,” they said. |
| They also criticized the crackdown on peaceful protesters on Nov. 30, calling the bloodshed unprecedented in Ukraine’s near quarter-century as an independent nation. | They also criticized the crackdown on peaceful protesters on Nov. 30, calling the bloodshed unprecedented in Ukraine’s near quarter-century as an independent nation. |
| “The brutality with which the special police acted should be condemned not only publicly but also punished according to the Ukrainian legislation as totally unacceptable in a democracy,” the former presidents wrote. | “The brutality with which the special police acted should be condemned not only publicly but also punished according to the Ukrainian legislation as totally unacceptable in a democracy,” the former presidents wrote. |
| The announcement of possible negotiations was the first glimmer of engagement by Mr. Yanukovich after more than two weeks in which he largely waved off the growing national uproar. | The announcement of possible negotiations was the first glimmer of engagement by Mr. Yanukovich after more than two weeks in which he largely waved off the growing national uproar. |
| Even as Kiev convulsed in anger, he traveled to China on a state visit, then stopped in Russia to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin, further enraging the crowds already mad about the Kremlin’s role in pressuring Mr. Yanukovich to abandon the far-reaching political and free trade agreements with the European Union. | Even as Kiev convulsed in anger, he traveled to China on a state visit, then stopped in Russia to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin, further enraging the crowds already mad about the Kremlin’s role in pressuring Mr. Yanukovich to abandon the far-reaching political and free trade agreements with the European Union. |
| In other developments on Monday, the Ukrainian authorities shut three main subway stations, including the two located directly under the main protest site. In a statement posted on the Interior Ministry website, officials said that they had acted in response to bomb threats, and the stops were later reopened. | In other developments on Monday, the Ukrainian authorities shut three main subway stations, including the two located directly under the main protest site. In a statement posted on the Interior Ministry website, officials said that they had acted in response to bomb threats, and the stops were later reopened. |
| But as police buses moved into lines just outside the perimeter of Independence Square, and police officers took up new positions, demonstrators were bracing for an enforcement action. They scrambled to reinforce barricades, moving public benches, wood planks and anything else available, to add to the fortifications that have closed off the area for more than a week. | But as police buses moved into lines just outside the perimeter of Independence Square, and police officers took up new positions, demonstrators were bracing for an enforcement action. They scrambled to reinforce barricades, moving public benches, wood planks and anything else available, to add to the fortifications that have closed off the area for more than a week. |
| Rumors that the police would emerge in force from the subway led to new barricades at the station entrances. Some demonstrators appeared to evacuate Kiev City Hall, which they had occupied, in the expectation that it would be an early target of any police action. A crowd gathered outside, including many television news crews, indicating that whatever might happen was likely to be highly publicized. | Rumors that the police would emerge in force from the subway led to new barricades at the station entrances. Some demonstrators appeared to evacuate Kiev City Hall, which they had occupied, in the expectation that it would be an early target of any police action. A crowd gathered outside, including many television news crews, indicating that whatever might happen was likely to be highly publicized. |
| At Independence Square, a crowd of several thousand people continued to mill about, a day after protesters held a huge rally, swarmed the streets of the city and toppled and smashed a statue of Lenin. Religious leaders held a service on the main protest stage, chanting prayers and singing hymns. | At Independence Square, a crowd of several thousand people continued to mill about, a day after protesters held a huge rally, swarmed the streets of the city and toppled and smashed a statue of Lenin. Religious leaders held a service on the main protest stage, chanting prayers and singing hymns. |
Andrew E. Kramer and Oksana Lyachynska contributed reporting. | Andrew E. Kramer and Oksana Lyachynska contributed reporting. |