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| In Ukraine, protesters appear to be preparing for battle | In Ukraine, protesters appear to be preparing for battle |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — On a broad street before a row of burned-out buses, protesters were busily digging up paving stones Monday morning so they’d be on hand. Others banged ceaselessly with sticks on pieces of sheet metal or with hammers on street signs. The percussive ring filled the smoky air in front of Dynamo Stadium. The prelude for a showdown seemed set. | KIEV, Ukraine — On a broad street before a row of burned-out buses, protesters were busily digging up paving stones Monday morning so they’d be on hand. Others banged ceaselessly with sticks on pieces of sheet metal or with hammers on street signs. The percussive ring filled the smoky air in front of Dynamo Stadium. The prelude for a showdown seemed set. |
| Overnight, the focus of the protests against the government of President Viktor Yanukovych had switched from the well-barricaded Independence Square to the unprotected space of Grushevsky Street, where it begins its steep ascent toward the parliament building. | Overnight, the focus of the protests against the government of President Viktor Yanukovych had switched from the well-barricaded Independence Square to the unprotected space of Grushevsky Street, where it begins its steep ascent toward the parliament building. |
| Young men with steel rods and a willingness to use them against riot police had taken over the initiative from the cautious politicians who have been leading the movement. | Young men with steel rods and a willingness to use them against riot police had taken over the initiative from the cautious politicians who have been leading the movement. |
| The nighttime fighting was accompanied by fireworks and flash grenades, stone-throwing by protesters and forays by club-swinging police. | The nighttime fighting was accompanied by fireworks and flash grenades, stone-throwing by protesters and forays by club-swinging police. |
| Television reports Monday morning showed police firing rubber bullets at protesters. One broadcast showed a man preparing a molotov cocktail, apparently to throw at police. Several burned-out police vans were coated with ice from water cannon blasts, accentuating the desolation of the scene. | Television reports Monday morning showed police firing rubber bullets at protesters. One broadcast showed a man preparing a molotov cocktail, apparently to throw at police. Several burned-out police vans were coated with ice from water cannon blasts, accentuating the desolation of the scene. |
| The Interior Ministry said several dozen troops had been injured in the clashes overnight. Protesters said 30 to 40 on their side had been hurt. | The Interior Ministry said several dozen troops had been injured in the clashes overnight. Protesters said 30 to 40 on their side had been hurt. |
| Two journalists were reported among the injured, one from the U.S.-supported Radio Liberty and one from broadcaster Vesti. Ukrainian officials also said they had taken another Radio Liberty journalist into custody. The Radio Liberty videographer, identified as Ihor Iskhakov, was later released, reportedly with a broken nose, a possible concussion and numerous bruises. | Two journalists were reported among the injured, one from the U.S.-supported Radio Liberty and one from broadcaster Vesti. Ukrainian officials also said they had taken another Radio Liberty journalist into custody. The Radio Liberty videographer, identified as Ihor Iskhakov, was later released, reportedly with a broken nose, a possible concussion and numerous bruises. |
| Monday afternoon, the skirmishing began again. Police formed a solid line about 20 yards behind the row of buses that had been put in place as a barricade. The protesters formed a much more ragged line on their side, also about 20 yards back. | Monday afternoon, the skirmishing began again. Police formed a solid line about 20 yards behind the row of buses that had been put in place as a barricade. The protesters formed a much more ragged line on their side, also about 20 yards back. |
| Daredevils would run toward the buses, throwing paving stones at the police. Whenever the crowd seemed to be inching up behind them, the police would toss stun grenades and tear gas and move them back. | Daredevils would run toward the buses, throwing paving stones at the police. Whenever the crowd seemed to be inching up behind them, the police would toss stun grenades and tear gas and move them back. |
| At one point, Interior Ministry troops also moved up toward the buses and, surprisingly, began throwing stones back at the protesters. They weren’t very effective. Like most European men handling something the size of a baseball, they threw with a running start, a lot of superfluous arm motion and no torque in the hips. These were clearly guys who had never tried to cut down a runner at home from deep left. | At one point, Interior Ministry troops also moved up toward the buses and, surprisingly, began throwing stones back at the protesters. They weren’t very effective. Like most European men handling something the size of a baseball, they threw with a running start, a lot of superfluous arm motion and no torque in the hips. These were clearly guys who had never tried to cut down a runner at home from deep left. |
| The back and forth had more of the atmosphere of European soccer. Hundreds of onlookers took in the spectacle, cheering whenever their side threw a flare that landed near something that might catch fire. And, like a soccer game, there were plenty of tries but no points scored by either side. | The back and forth had more of the atmosphere of European soccer. Hundreds of onlookers took in the spectacle, cheering whenever their side threw a flare that landed near something that might catch fire. And, like a soccer game, there were plenty of tries but no points scored by either side. |
| One group of protesters, meanwhile, was furiously constructing a catapult about eight feet high for later use. | One group of protesters, meanwhile, was furiously constructing a catapult about eight feet high for later use. |
| Yanukovych has appointed a committee to try to find a solution to Ukraine’s continuing crisis, and he told its members to meet Monday with the leaders of opposition parties, who were dismayed by the violent turn of events. | Yanukovych has appointed a committee to try to find a solution to Ukraine’s continuing crisis, and he told its members to meet Monday with the leaders of opposition parties, who were dismayed by the violent turn of events. |
| Yanukovych’s Party of Regions posted a statement overnight blaming the fighting on Western intelligence services, which it said had provided intensive training to the protesters. | Yanukovych’s Party of Regions posted a statement overnight blaming the fighting on Western intelligence services, which it said had provided intensive training to the protesters. |
| In Washington on Sunday, Caitlin Hayden, the spokeswoman for the National Security Council, criticized the government for provoking the protesters, particularly with the passage last week of harsh laws restricting freedom of speech and assembly. | In Washington on Sunday, Caitlin Hayden, the spokeswoman for the National Security Council, criticized the government for provoking the protesters, particularly with the passage last week of harsh laws restricting freedom of speech and assembly. |
| But the scene at the front line suggested that neither side was in a mood to give in. Long lines of police snaked across the sloping street, behind solid walls of shields. The protesters were clearly preparing for battle, having survived and persevered through the first night of physical confrontation since an aborted attempt by police to sweep into Independence Square more than a month ago. | But the scene at the front line suggested that neither side was in a mood to give in. Long lines of police snaked across the sloping street, behind solid walls of shields. The protesters were clearly preparing for battle, having survived and persevered through the first night of physical confrontation since an aborted attempt by police to sweep into Independence Square more than a month ago. |
| The protests began in November, after Yanukovych refused to sign a long-planned trade agreement with the European Union. Instead, he sought a closer relationship and loans from Russia. That angered the Ukrainians who wanted a closer alignment with Europe and accused Yanukovych of falling under Russia’s sway. | The protests began in November, after Yanukovych refused to sign a long-planned trade agreement with the European Union. Instead, he sought a closer relationship and loans from Russia. That angered the Ukrainians who wanted a closer alignment with Europe and accused Yanukovych of falling under Russia’s sway. |
| Russian officials counter that the United States is stirring up trouble, manipulating Ukrainians. | Russian officials counter that the United States is stirring up trouble, manipulating Ukrainians. |
| On Monday that theme was amplified by Leonid Slutsky, the head of Russia’s parliamentary committee on Eurasian integration, who accused “strategic friends” from the West of inflaming events in Ukraine. | On Monday that theme was amplified by Leonid Slutsky, the head of Russia’s parliamentary committee on Eurasian integration, who accused “strategic friends” from the West of inflaming events in Ukraine. |
| “They finance them via various non-governmental organizations, which start problems that escalate into disturbances and violence not in line with civilized European ideas, to which Ukraine is being persistently urged,” Slutsky said as quoted by the Interfax news agency. | “They finance them via various non-governmental organizations, which start problems that escalate into disturbances and violence not in line with civilized European ideas, to which Ukraine is being persistently urged,” Slutsky said as quoted by the Interfax news agency. |
| E.U. officials have expressed concern about events in Ukraine, but some protesters are calling for more help. | E.U. officials have expressed concern about events in Ukraine, but some protesters are calling for more help. |
| Monday on Twitter, an opposition-minded young woman named Kateryna Kruk put it this way: | Monday on Twitter, an opposition-minded young woman named Kateryna Kruk put it this way: |
| “EU is deeply concerned. I’m sure this thought’ll warm me up while facing riot police or going to jail for tweeting. Then I’ll be concerned too.” | “EU is deeply concerned. I’m sure this thought’ll warm me up while facing riot police or going to jail for tweeting. Then I’ll be concerned too.” |
| Kathy Lally contributed to this report from Moscow. |