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Ukraine protests 'spread' into Russia-influenced east | Ukraine protests 'spread' into Russia-influenced east |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Protests in Ukraine appear to be spreading further outside the capital Kiev, with reports of unrest in the east, north and south of the country. | |
Protesters besieged government buildings and in some cases clashed with police and government supporters. | Protesters besieged government buildings and in some cases clashed with police and government supporters. |
It comes after opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk rejected President Viktor Yanukovych's offer to appoint him prime minister. | It comes after opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk rejected President Viktor Yanukovych's offer to appoint him prime minister. |
He said key demands must be met, including new elections. | He said key demands must be met, including new elections. |
As well as his offer to Mr Yatsenyuk, he suggested another opposition figure, former boxer Vitali Klitschko, take the post of deputy prime minister following talks on Saturday. | As well as his offer to Mr Yatsenyuk, he suggested another opposition figure, former boxer Vitali Klitschko, take the post of deputy prime minister following talks on Saturday. |
The BBC's David Stern, in Kiev, says the opposition - confident in its position - appears to have taken Mr Yanukovych's offer of concessions as a sign of weakness, and is forging ahead with the campaign to unseat him. | |
The demonstrations began in November after Ukraine decided not to sign an accord on more co-operation with the EU. Instead, the government opted to deepen ties with neighbouring Russia. | |
People's assemblies | People's assemblies |
On Friday protesters seized a number of government buildings in Ukrainian cities outside Kiev, particularly in the west, which has traditionally favoured closer ties with Europe, including in the cities of Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk and Lviv. | On Friday protesters seized a number of government buildings in Ukrainian cities outside Kiev, particularly in the west, which has traditionally favoured closer ties with Europe, including in the cities of Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk and Lviv. |
On Saturday the protests spread to cities further east, including Vinnytsya, south-west of Kiev. | |
Reports now suggest unrest is spreading further into the country's east, which has traditionally had closer ties with Russia and is Mr Yanukovych's support base: | |
In total, municipal buildings have reportedly been seized by protesters in up to 10 cities outside Kiev - unrest on a scale which commentators say is unprecedented in post-Soviet Ukraine. | |
But the interior ministry says residents of western Ukraine, whom it calls "provocateurs", are being parachuted in to other parts of the country to stir up trouble, said Interfax-Ukraine. | |
Meanwhile, in Kiev, thousands mourned a protester who was killed last week. | Meanwhile, in Kiev, thousands mourned a protester who was killed last week. |
Crowds chanted "Hero!" as the open coffin of Mikhail Zhiznevsky, 25, was carried through the streets of the capital. | Crowds chanted "Hero!" as the open coffin of Mikhail Zhiznevsky, 25, was carried through the streets of the capital. |
The opposition is demanding that a free trade agreement with the European Union be signed and political prisoners be freed, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. | The opposition is demanding that a free trade agreement with the European Union be signed and political prisoners be freed, including former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. |
They are also demanding the repeal of recently introduced laws restricting public protest, and early presidential elections. A vote is not due until 2015. | They are also demanding the repeal of recently introduced laws restricting public protest, and early presidential elections. A vote is not due until 2015. |
The crisis in Ukraine escalated this week with the deaths of three activists. | |
A fourth, 45-year-old protester is said to have died in a Kiev hospital on Saturday from injuries sustained in earlier violence. | A fourth, 45-year-old protester is said to have died in a Kiev hospital on Saturday from injuries sustained in earlier violence. |
Although the protest movement - the EuroMaidan - is largely peaceful, a hardcore of radicals have been fighting battles with police away from the main protest camp in Maidan, or Independence Square. | Although the protest movement - the EuroMaidan - is largely peaceful, a hardcore of radicals have been fighting battles with police away from the main protest camp in Maidan, or Independence Square. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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