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In Ukraine, 5 Wounded in Scuffles Between Protesters In Ukraine, 5 Wounded in Scuffles Between Protesters
(35 minutes later)
KIEV, Ukraine — Five people were wounded Wednesday in fighting between two factions of antigovernment protesters inside one of the city’s occupied government buildings, Ukrainian media reported. KIEV, Ukraine — Five people were wounded on Wednesday in fighting between two factions of antigovernment protesters inside one of the city’s occupied government buildings, Ukrainian news media reported.
The scuffle came as the opposition’s more moderate political leadership is coming under pressure to demonstrate greater control on the streets, in exchange for concessions that the government has granted and is promising. The scuffle came as the opposition’s more moderate political leadership faced pressure to demonstrate greater control on the streets, in exchange for concessions from the government. Parliament was also considering an amnesty law for detained protesters that linked an amnesty with the clearing of occupied buildings.
The five were wounded inside the occupied main building of the Ministry of Agriculture, Channel 5 television reported. These included injuries from rubber bullets fired by protesters at one another from what are known as traumatic pistols, or nonlethal handguns, legally sold for self-defense here, which have previously been used only against the police.The five were wounded inside the occupied main building of the Ministry of Agriculture, Channel 5 television reported. These included injuries from rubber bullets fired by protesters at one another from what are known as traumatic pistols, or nonlethal handguns, legally sold for self-defense here, which have previously been used only against the police.
In a speech in Parliament on Wednesday, Leonid M. Kravchuk, Ukraine’s president from 1991 to 1994, warned that the country was “on the brink of civil war.”
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s prime minister, Mykola Azarov, resigned and a pro-government political party, the Party of Regions, voted together with the opposition to repeal most of the laws in a package of legislation that was passed earlier this month limiting freedom of speech and assembly.On Tuesday, Ukraine’s prime minister, Mykola Azarov, resigned and a pro-government political party, the Party of Regions, voted together with the opposition to repeal most of the laws in a package of legislation that was passed earlier this month limiting freedom of speech and assembly.
The concessions put pressure on the parliamentary opposition leaders associated with the protest to answer with a de-escalation of their own, and could highlight their growing irrelevance if they are unable to deliver. The concessions put pressure on the parliamentary opposition leaders associated with the protest to answer with a de-escalation of their own, and could highlight their growing irrelevance if they are unable to deliver. Multiple right-wing factions, splinter groups and newly formed associations are now active on the street without organized leadership and are not answering to the political parties.
Multiple right-wing factions, splinter groups and newly formed associations are now active on the street without organized leadership and are not answering to the political parties. Activists from one such group, Spilna Sprava, or Common Cause, seized the main building of the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday, and had resisted surrendering control to a broader group of protesters that included representatives of the parliamentary opposition parties.
Activists from one such group, Spilna Sprava, or Common Cause, seized the main building of the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday, and had resisted surrendering control to a broader group of protesters that included representatives of the Parliamentary opposition parties. The task of taking control fell to activists from Svoboda, the nationalist party in Parliament and a onetime ally of Common Cause, though the two organizations have disagreed before during the protests. After talks overnight failed to bring results, Svoboda activists ejected Common Cause from the building on Wednesday.
The task of taking control fell to activists from Svoboda, the nationalist party in Parliament and a onetime ally of Common Cause, though the two organizations have disagreed before during the protests. After talks overnight failed to bring results, Svoboda activists ejected Common Cause from the building Wednesday.
Control of the buildings is important now for their potential as bargaining chips: Parliament is considering an amnesty law for detained protesters that links an amnesty with the clearing of occupied buildings.
“Because we need to free the arrested activists, the decision was taken to clear the territory of the building of the Ministry of Agriculture,” a spokesman for Svoboda, Yuri Syrotyuk, told Ukrainska Pravda newspaper. “Now this decision is being fulfilled.”“Because we need to free the arrested activists, the decision was taken to clear the territory of the building of the Ministry of Agriculture,” a spokesman for Svoboda, Yuri Syrotyuk, told Ukrainska Pravda newspaper. “Now this decision is being fulfilled.”
The Parliament, or Verkhovna Rada, debated the amnesty bill but broke for lunch without a vote.The Parliament, or Verkhovna Rada, debated the amnesty bill but broke for lunch without a vote.
Lawmakers are also expected to take up a bill that would form a committee to overhaul the Constitution to weaken the power of the president.Lawmakers are also expected to take up a bill that would form a committee to overhaul the Constitution to weaken the power of the president.
Serhei Arbuzov, a former deputy prime minister, assumed the position of acting prime minister on Wednesday, replacing Mr. Azarov, though other members of the cabinet remained in their posts in a temporary capacity.Serhei Arbuzov, a former deputy prime minister, assumed the position of acting prime minister on Wednesday, replacing Mr. Azarov, though other members of the cabinet remained in their posts in a temporary capacity.
In an opening speech to cabinet, he expressed regret for the beating of journalists — acknowledging what was probably a tactical mistake by the police, given the challenge now for the government in conveying a positive message through the capital’s news media. In the past week alone, 42 journalists were wounded, Channel 5 reported, including many apparently targeted for carrying cameras. “I’m sorry that a lot of people suffered, including journalists,” Mr. Arbuzov said. In an opening speech to cabinet, he expressed regret for the beating of journalists — acknowledging what was probably a tactical mistake by the police, given the challenge now for the government in conveying a positive message through the capital’s news media. In the past week alone, 42 journalists were wounded, Channel 5 reported, including many apparently targeted for carrying cameras.
“I’m sorry that a lot of people suffered, including journalists,” Mr. Arbuzov said.
Standard & Poor’s, the rating agency, on Tuesday downgraded Ukraine’s sovereign debt even deeper into the categories of speculative, or junk bonds, citing the political uncertainty and the prospect that the protests might, in fact, succeed in installing a pro-Western government, resulting in a likely end to Russian financing that is keeping the country solvent for now. The agency rates Ukraine’s debt at CCC, with a negative outlook.Standard & Poor’s, the rating agency, on Tuesday downgraded Ukraine’s sovereign debt even deeper into the categories of speculative, or junk bonds, citing the political uncertainty and the prospect that the protests might, in fact, succeed in installing a pro-Western government, resulting in a likely end to Russian financing that is keeping the country solvent for now. The agency rates Ukraine’s debt at CCC, with a negative outlook.