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In Ukraine, 5 Wounded in Scuffles Between Protesters In Ukraine, 5 Wounded in Scuffles Between Protesters
(about 4 hours later)
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.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 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 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 is 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.”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. 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. Serhei Arbuzov, a former deputy prime minister, assumed the position of acting prime minister on Wednesday, though other members of the cabinet remained in their posts in a temporary capacity.
In an opening speech to the 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.
The government’s 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.
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 during the protests. After talks overnight failed to bring results, Svoboda activists ejected Common Cause from the building on Wednesday.
“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 the 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. To try to bring order to the bands of young men, opposition leaders on Wednesday announced the formation of a National Guard that would unite the many organizations, and several agreed to join, including Right Sector, an umbrella organization of right-wing groups active in street politics, and Maidan Self-Defense, an organization that arranges the defense of barricades.
The Parliament, or Verkhovna Rada, debated the amnesty bill but had not voted on it by late Wednesday evening.
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. Though the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, had said at a summit meeting with European Union officials in Brussels on Tuesday that his government would follow through on a $15 billion package of financial aid to Ukraine, on Wednesday he and Russia’s prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, said the payments would be halted until a new government was formed in Kiev.
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. Speaking to Russian ministers, Mr. Putin said Wednesday, “I would like to draw the attention of the government to concerns of our Ukrainian colleagues and friends, specifically on the necessity of fulfilling all our agreements in the financial sphere,” the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
“I’m sorry that a lot of people suffered, including journalists,” Mr. Arbuzov said. Mr. Medvedev then added that it would be reasonable to do so “only when we understand the economic course of the new government, who will work in that government, and rules it will follow.”
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 will succeed in installing a pro-Western government, resulting in a probable end to Russian financing that is keeping the country solvent for now. The agency rates Ukraine’s debt at CCC, with a negative outlook. Under the Ukrainian Constitution, the Parliament has two months to approve a new cabinet of ministers, during which time acting ministers can remain in their positions.
A deputy director of Gazprom, the natural gas export monopoly, told the Rossiya 24 news channel that Ukraine had failed to make payments on a $2.7 billion debt for gas supplies. Russian customs officials began heightened checks on trucks crossing the border from Ukraine; an association of Ukrainian truckers told its members to expect delays of 10 to 15 working days to complete customs inspections.
Standard & Poor’s, the ratings 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 will succeed in installing a pro-Western government, resulting in a probable end to Russian financing that is keeping the country solvent for now. The agency rates Ukraine’s debt at CCC, with a negative outlook.