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Ukraine’s Moves Against Protesters Raise Tensions Ukraine’s Moves Against Protesters Raise Tensions
(about 1 hour later)
KIEV, Ukraine — Ominous new action by Ukraine’s security forces on Monday, including a raid on an opposition party and threats of treason charges, appeared to scuttle an opening for talks between the government and demonstrators, as Western leaders grasped to defuse the country’s intensifying political crisis, witnesses and opposition figures said. KIEV, Ukraine — Ominous new action by Ukraine’s security forces on Monday, including a raid on an opposition party, appeared to diminish the prospects for talks between the government and protest leaders, as Western officials grasped to defuse the country’s intensifying political crisis.
In a sign of renewed alarm, Vice President Joseph Biden and President Jose Manuel Barroso of the European Commission each made calls to Ukraine’s besieged president, Viktor F. Yanukovich, to warn him away from unleashing violence on a mass demonstration movement in its third week. And senior envoys including the European foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, and Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland were being sent to try to defuse the crisis. In a sign of mounting alarm, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and President José Manuel Barroso of the European Commission each called Ukraine’s besieged president, Viktor F. Yanukovich, to warn him against unleashing force on a mass demonstration movement in its third week. And senior envoys, including the European foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, and an assistant secretary of state, Victoria Nuland, were dispatched in an effort to ease tensions.
After seeming to lose control of Kiev on Sunday night following 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. The renewed diplomatic maneuvering was intended to prevent a repeat of the bloodshed during a violent crackdown by the police on Nov. 30 and to contain the widening civil uprising, which has plunged this nation of 46 million into deep uncertainty. Caught in a tug of war between European and Russian interests, Ukraine faces a severe economic crisis and is in immediate need of an aid package that is unlikely to materialize while thousands of protesters and riot police officers are massed in the streets.
Then, early Monday evening, the Ukrainian security service raided the headquarters of the opposition Fatherland Party and seized computer servers. In a meeting with senior Kremlin officials in Moscow on Monday, the State Department said, Ms. Nuland “urged Russia to use its influence to press for peace, human dignity and a political solution” and stressed Ukraine’s need for “a return to economic health with the support of the International Monetary Fund.”
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 and Interior Ministry troops were redeployed Monday and began efforts to push protesters out of streets near main government buildings, including the presidential headquarters. Battalions of officers moved in and took up positions just outside the square’s perimeters, and by late Monday they had surrounded small encampments of protesters in the governmental quarter of the capital.
Early Monday evening, in a move that brought further Western criticism, 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 Mr. Yanukovich after he refused to sign a political and trade pact 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 Mr. Yanukovich after he refused to sign a political and trade pact 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 the security officers did not arrest anyone.
A day earlier, 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 on Monday, Mr. Yatsenyuk said that he had been summoned for questioning on Tuesday.A day earlier, 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 on Monday, Mr. Yatsenyuk said that he had been summoned for questioning on Tuesday.
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 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 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.” Western leaders issued a new round of warnings on Monday, more than a week after the violent Nov. 30 crackdown on protesters.
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. White House officials said Vice President Biden pressed Mr. Yanukovich to de-escalate the crisis immediately and open talks with opposition leaders. He said that “violence has no place in a democratic society and is incompatible with our strategic relationship,” according to a White House summary of the leaders’ phone conversation.
White House officials said that Vice President Biden pressed Mr. Yanukovich to immediately de-escalate the crisis and open talks with opposition leaders. And he warned that “violence has no place in a democratic society and is incompatible with our strategic relationship,” according to a White House summary of the leaders’ phone conversation. Ms. Ashton, the European Union’s envoy, was expected to arrive Tuesday. She had been deeply involved in efforts to draw Ukraine into closer ties with the union through the trade deal that President Yanukovich abruptly backed away from late last month.
Ms. Ashton, the European Union’s envoy, was to arrive on Tuesday. She had been deeply involved in efforts to draw Ukraine into closer ties with the European Union through the trade deal that President Yanukovich abruptly backed away from late last month. That decision to abandon a wide-ranging trade and political agreement with the union left officials in Brussels deeply frustrated and upended years of efforts to draw Kiev into Europe’s orbit and away from Russia’s.
That decision to abandon a wide-ranging trade and political agreement with the European Union left officials in Brussels deeply frustrated and upended years of efforts to draw Kiev into Europe’s orbit and away from Russia’s.
Warning that “anti-European” voices risk reviving old “demons of Europe, like extreme nationalism, like xenophobia,” Mr. Barroso, the European Commission president, praised Ukrainian protesters for showing that Europe has positive values that make it attractive as a model.Warning that “anti-European” voices risk reviving old “demons of Europe, like extreme nationalism, like xenophobia,” Mr. Barroso, the European Commission president, praised Ukrainian protesters for showing that Europe has positive values that make it attractive as a model.
“If sometimes in Europe some of us have doubts about how important these values are, just look at Ukraine,” he said “Those young people in the streets of Ukraine, with freezing temperatures, are writing the new narrative for Europe.”“If sometimes in Europe some of us have doubts about how important these values are, just look at Ukraine,” he said “Those young people in the streets of Ukraine, with freezing temperatures, are writing the new narrative for Europe.”
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 they seek.
Despite the action against Mr. Yatsenyuk’s Fatherland party, the authorities seemed 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. Despite the action against Mr. Yatsenyuk’s Fatherland Party, the authorities seemed 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 Tyagnibok, 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.
At their news conference, the opposition leaders 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, the opposition leaders 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 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.

Reporting was contributed by Andrew E. Kramer and Oksana Lyachynska from Kiev, and Andrew Higgins from Brussels.

Andrew E. Kramer and Oksana Lyachynska contributed reporting from Kiev, and Andrew Higgins from Brussels.