This article is from the source 'washpo' 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.washingtonpost.com/world/2014/01/22/8bfbda5a-8330-11e3-bbe5-6a2a3141e3a9_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Ukrainian president, opposition leaders in talks after violent clashes escalate | Ukrainian president, opposition leaders in talks after violent clashes escalate |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| KIEV, Ukraine — With at least two protesters dead from gunshot wounds, and another found beaten to death after his kidnapping, talks that opened Wednesday afternoon between President Viktor Yanukovych and the three main leaders of the political opposition are likely to be the last chance to head off a nation-shaking physical confrontation. | KIEV, Ukraine — With at least two protesters dead from gunshot wounds, and another found beaten to death after his kidnapping, talks that opened Wednesday afternoon between President Viktor Yanukovych and the three main leaders of the political opposition are likely to be the last chance to head off a nation-shaking physical confrontation. |
| Aggressive riot police had put the center of Kiev, with its many thousands of protesters, in a state of considerable tension. Sporadic conflict continued all day outside Dynamo Stadium as protesters, led by a right-wing splinter group, refused to give ground to Interior Ministry troops. | Aggressive riot police had put the center of Kiev, with its many thousands of protesters, in a state of considerable tension. Sporadic conflict continued all day outside Dynamo Stadium as protesters, led by a right-wing splinter group, refused to give ground to Interior Ministry troops. |
| The politicians broke off talks after three hours, and the opposition leaders later delivered angry avowals of their determination to oust Yanukovych, but they said they planned to meet again Thursday. | The politicians broke off talks after three hours, and the opposition leaders later delivered angry avowals of their determination to oust Yanukovych, but they said they planned to meet again Thursday. |
| The deaths of three and possibly more activists shocked and energized the legions of protesters who once more turned out Wednesday evening. One of the victims was shot four times, medics said. Police denied they had used firearms, though during the day they could be seen aiming rifles. The dead are already being portrayed as martyrs to the brutality of Yanukovych regime. | The deaths of three and possibly more activists shocked and energized the legions of protesters who once more turned out Wednesday evening. One of the victims was shot four times, medics said. Police denied they had used firearms, though during the day they could be seen aiming rifles. The dead are already being portrayed as martyrs to the brutality of Yanukovych regime. |
| “If the president does not go forward” toward a peaceful resolution, said Vitali Klitschko, head of the opposition UDAR party, “tomorrow we’ll go on the offensive.” | “If the president does not go forward” toward a peaceful resolution, said Vitali Klitschko, head of the opposition UDAR party, “tomorrow we’ll go on the offensive.” |
| As darkness fell, tens of thousands of protesters flocked through snow to be on hand to defend Independence Square, known to all simply as the Maidan, after fears spread that the police would try Wednesday night to clear the encampment that has persisted since Nov. 21. | As darkness fell, tens of thousands of protesters flocked through snow to be on hand to defend Independence Square, known to all simply as the Maidan, after fears spread that the police would try Wednesday night to clear the encampment that has persisted since Nov. 21. |
| They had already twice swept away the young men on nearby Hrushevsky Street, by the stadium, but each time the opposition forces reclaimed the street. | They had already twice swept away the young men on nearby Hrushevsky Street, by the stadium, but each time the opposition forces reclaimed the street. |
| The aggressive police action took place on a Ukrainian holiday — Unification Day. It drove the already deep divide between Yanukovych and his opponents to the point where a negotiated settlement looks to be very difficult. | The aggressive police action took place on a Ukrainian holiday — Unification Day. It drove the already deep divide between Yanukovych and his opponents to the point where a negotiated settlement looks to be very difficult. |
| The two sides have just 24 hours left to prevent bloodshed, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, of the Fatherland opposition party, said Wednesday night after he left the president’s office. “After that if I get bullet in my head, then so be it,” he said. | The two sides have just 24 hours left to prevent bloodshed, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, of the Fatherland opposition party, said Wednesday night after he left the president’s office. “After that if I get bullet in my head, then so be it,” he said. |
| “We’re going to kick the authorities out, we’re going to win and have the new Ukraine that we deserve,” said Oleh Tiahnybok, head of the nationalist Svoboda party, who also took part. | |
| The mood on the Maidan Wednesday evening, as it filled with protesters, was serious but not grim. As young men in helmets and improvised body armor came and went from Hrushevsky Street, old women on the Maidan watched and made the sign of the cross. | The mood on the Maidan Wednesday evening, as it filled with protesters, was serious but not grim. As young men in helmets and improvised body armor came and went from Hrushevsky Street, old women on the Maidan watched and made the sign of the cross. |
| Younger people furiously chipped away at the newfallen but already packed snow, while others scooped it up into sandbags, to be used to bolster the formidable barricades built on foundations of ice and snow in December. Since then rain and warm weather have caused considerable depletion, but now the cold has returned, and for the opposition that’s welcome news. | |
| On Hrushevsky itself, protesters lit piles of tires, sending thick black smoke westward across Kiev. Their goal was to create a smokescreen behind which they industriously constructed a fallback barricade to try to prevent another police sweep. | |
| The police denied that they had fired on the protesters, though they could be clearly seen aiming rifles during the day. Many of those injured Wednesday were broadcast journalists and medics, leading to accusations that they had been deliberately targeted. | The police denied that they had fired on the protesters, though they could be clearly seen aiming rifles during the day. Many of those injured Wednesday were broadcast journalists and medics, leading to accusations that they had been deliberately targeted. |
| All told, hundreds of injuries have now been reported, on both sides. | All told, hundreds of injuries have now been reported, on both sides. |
| The kidnapped activist was Yuriy Verbytskiy, from Lviv, who was abducted from a Kiev hospital Tuesday night after he had sought treatment for a splinter in his eye that he received on Hrushevsky Street. Another man, Ihor Lutsenko, who was taken with him was beaten but later released. Verbytskiy was found on the ground near the airport, beaten to death, according to his brother. | The kidnapped activist was Yuriy Verbytskiy, from Lviv, who was abducted from a Kiev hospital Tuesday night after he had sought treatment for a splinter in his eye that he received on Hrushevsky Street. Another man, Ihor Lutsenko, who was taken with him was beaten but later released. Verbytskiy was found on the ground near the airport, beaten to death, according to his brother. |
| The protest began when Yanukovych suddenly backed off a trade deal with Europe and turned to Russia for support. It quickly broadened to include demands that he step down. Throughout, its leaders continually stressed the need to use peaceful means to pursue their ends. | The protest began when Yanukovych suddenly backed off a trade deal with Europe and turned to Russia for support. It quickly broadened to include demands that he step down. Throughout, its leaders continually stressed the need to use peaceful means to pursue their ends. |
| But Yanukovych hung on, and last week his party rammed through a series of harsh new laws restricting protest and speech. On Sunday evening a break-away group of frustrated young right-wing nationalists, led by a group called Pravy Sektor, marched off the Maidan to Hrushevsky Street, where they were confronted by police and began throwing stones, fireworks and molotov cocktails at them. Police responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets. | But Yanukovych hung on, and last week his party rammed through a series of harsh new laws restricting protest and speech. On Sunday evening a break-away group of frustrated young right-wing nationalists, led by a group called Pravy Sektor, marched off the Maidan to Hrushevsky Street, where they were confronted by police and began throwing stones, fireworks and molotov cocktails at them. Police responded with stun grenades and rubber bullets. |
| The confrontation on Hrushevsky Street persisted, and it complicated the task for the leaders of the opposition who have denounced violence as self-defeating. But the sight of fierce young men, taking the fight to the police, had thrilled thousands of spectators who didn’t pay a direct role in the clashes. | The confrontation on Hrushevsky Street persisted, and it complicated the task for the leaders of the opposition who have denounced violence as self-defeating. But the sight of fierce young men, taking the fight to the police, had thrilled thousands of spectators who didn’t pay a direct role in the clashes. |
| The violence, and especially Wednesday’s escalation, seemed only to harden the resolve of both sides, even as the talks were getting underway. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said the opposition has to decide once and for all whether it will renounce the violence of the nationalists on Hrushevsky or embrace it, and take the consequences. He then flew off to the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland – though news agencies here reported that his invitation had been withdrawn. | The violence, and especially Wednesday’s escalation, seemed only to harden the resolve of both sides, even as the talks were getting underway. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said the opposition has to decide once and for all whether it will renounce the violence of the nationalists on Hrushevsky or embrace it, and take the consequences. He then flew off to the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland – though news agencies here reported that his invitation had been withdrawn. |
| The U.S. Embassy in Kiev announced that it has revoked the visas of Ukrainians it deems to be responsible for the violence here. It said it would not identify who those people are, but official American statements on the crisis suggest that those affected are probably Ukrainian government or police officials. | The U.S. Embassy in Kiev announced that it has revoked the visas of Ukrainians it deems to be responsible for the violence here. It said it would not identify who those people are, but official American statements on the crisis suggest that those affected are probably Ukrainian government or police officials. |
| In Washington, Marie Harf, a spokeswoman for the State Department, released a statement saying the United States “strongly condemns” the violence in Kiev. | In Washington, Marie Harf, a spokeswoman for the State Department, released a statement saying the United States “strongly condemns” the violence in Kiev. |
| “Increased tensions in Ukraine are a direct consequence of the Ukrainian government’s failure to engage in real dialogue and the passage of anti-democratic legislation on January 16,” it said. “However, the aggressive actions of members of extreme-right group Pravy Sektor are not acceptable and are inflaming conditions on the streets and undermining the efforts of peaceful protesters. We likewise deplore violence by unofficial groups known as ‘titushki.’ | “Increased tensions in Ukraine are a direct consequence of the Ukrainian government’s failure to engage in real dialogue and the passage of anti-democratic legislation on January 16,” it said. “However, the aggressive actions of members of extreme-right group Pravy Sektor are not acceptable and are inflaming conditions on the streets and undermining the efforts of peaceful protesters. We likewise deplore violence by unofficial groups known as ‘titushki.’ |
| “We also condemn the targeted attacks against journalists and peaceful protesters, including detentions.” | “We also condemn the targeted attacks against journalists and peaceful protesters, including detentions.” |
| The issue of thugs for hire, working on behalf of Yanukovych and known here as “titushki,” has become a potent addition to the grievances of the protesters. | The issue of thugs for hire, working on behalf of Yanukovych and known here as “titushki,” has become a potent addition to the grievances of the protesters. |
| Opposition groups have been scouting the streets of Kiev the last two nights in search of titushki, who are accused of smashing cars and beating up passersby. At least a dozen young men have been rounded up and taken forcibly to the protest headquarters. Almost all of them are teenagers. | Opposition groups have been scouting the streets of Kiev the last two nights in search of titushki, who are accused of smashing cars and beating up passersby. At least a dozen young men have been rounded up and taken forcibly to the protest headquarters. Almost all of them are teenagers. |
| The Interior Ministry declared that 40 people were “kidnapped” in Kiev Tuesday night, clearly referring to what the opposition believes is an act of self-defense. | The Interior Ministry declared that 40 people were “kidnapped” in Kiev Tuesday night, clearly referring to what the opposition believes is an act of self-defense. |