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Ukraine unrest: Police and civilians die as officers 'fire water cannon on protesters throwing petrol bombs' Ukraine unrest: Police and civilians die as officers 'fire water cannon on protesters throwing petrol bombs'
(35 minutes later)
Ukraine has seen its deadliest day of violence since anti-government protests began, with fierce clashes bringing new intensity to a political crisis that has festered in Kiev since late November.Ukraine has seen its deadliest day of violence since anti-government protests began, with fierce clashes bringing new intensity to a political crisis that has festered in Kiev since late November.
At least 11 demonstrators and seven police officers were killed in street battles in the Ukrainian capital, with hundreds more injured and several of the dead suffering gunshot wounds. The death toll could rise further. At least 11 demonstrators and seven police officers were killed in street battles in the Ukrainian capital, with hundreds more injured and several of the dead suffering gunshot wounds.
Clashes erupted outside government buildings in the centre of the city after opposition leaders warned that security forces were planning to clear the sprawling protest camp in Kiev’s Independence Square, which is also known as the Maidan. Television footage showed anti-government protesters throwing petrol bombs, fireworks and rocks at riot police, and setting fire to piles of tyres to prevent officers from entering the Maidan, while hundreds of riot police used water cannons on advancing protesters in sub-zero temperatures. The violence continued through the night as the security forces tried to force their way into the protest camp in Kiev's Independence Square and surrounding buildings.
Shortly before midnight the world champion boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko, who heads the opposition party Udar (Punch), arrived at President Viktor Yanukovych’s office for talks. Earlier, he has called on the President to resign and to call early elections, while in an address to the 20,000 protesters estimated to be Independence Square he vowed: “We will not go anywhere from here, This is an island of freedom and we will defend it.” The city's trade union building, which had been used as an opposition base, was set on fire and snipers were reported to be deliberately targeting protest leaders who took to a stage to rally supporters. Opposition leader Aleksandr Turchinov was among those said to have been shot as he stood on the stage, but it was unclear how seriously he was hurt.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of Ukraine’s largest opposition bloc, also arrived for talks and was similarly defiant: “We see that this regime again has begun shooting people; they want to sink Ukraine in blood. We will not give in to a single provocation. We will not take one step back from this square. We have nowhere to retreat to. Ukraine is behind us, Ukraine’s future is behind us.”
  
As bodies began to be counted, Olha Bilyk, of Kiev city police, told the Associated Press that six policemen died from gunshot wounds and 159 were wounded, including 39 who were shot. As the violence intensified US Vice President Joe Biden telephoned Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych to urge him to withdraw the government forces from Independence Square and to exercise restraint. He also emphasised the protestors had “legitimate grievances”.
She also said seven civilians died, including three who were shot. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister blamed “radical forces” for the escalation. “The vice president further underscored the urgency of immediate dialogue with opposition leaders to address protesters' legitimate grievances and to put forward serious proposals for political reform,” a White House spokesman said.
The co-ordinator for the opposition’s medical response team, Oleh Musiy, said more than 400 protesters were injured and claimed that about 20 had died. The offical death toll remained at 18. Two opposition leaders - Vitali Klitschko, the world champion boxer-turned-politician, and Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of Ukraine's largest opposition bloc - arrived late tonight at President Yanukovych's office for talks. 
Despite the freezing conditions, dozens of tents have been set up in the square since the protests began in November, after President Yanukovych spurned a historic trade and political agreement with European Union in favour of a £9bn financial bailout from Russia, used to balance the country’s precarious finances. Russia had since frozen tranches of the aid amid behind-the-scenes pressure for Mr Yanukovych to crush the protest movement. Clashes has earlier erupted outside government buildings in the centre of the city after opposition leaders warned that security forces were planning to clear the sprawling protest camp in Independence Square, which is also known as the Maidan. Television footage showed anti-government protesters throwing petrol bombs, fireworks and rocks at riot police, and setting fire to piles of tyres to prevent officers from entering the Maidan, while hundreds of riot police used water cannons on advancing protesters in sub-zero temperatures.
Hundreds of thousands of people took the streets to demonstrate peacefully against the move, but the protests turned violent when the government introduced sweeping new legislation limiting basic freedoms in a bid to crush the opposition. Though it was later repealed, the opposition continues to push for early elections (due in 2015) and changes to the constitution. The White House said it was appalled by the violence, and called on Mr Yanukovych to de-escalate the situation “immediately”. Before heading to the President's office for talks, Klitschko, who heads the opposition party Udar (Punch), called on Yanukovych to resign and to call early elections. In an address to the 20,000 protesters estimated to be Independence Square he vowed: “We will not go anywhere from here, This is an island of freedom and we will defend it.”
“We continue to condemn excessive use of force by either side. Force will not resolve the crisis,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said. “We urge President Yanukovych to de-escalate immediately… We urge him to restart a dialogue with opposition leaders.” European and American officials have been attempting to broker talks between the opposition and the President. Yatsenyuk was similarly defiant: “We see that this regime again has begun shooting people; they want to sink Ukraine in blood. We will not give in to a single provocation. We will not take one step back from this square. We have nowhere to retreat to. Ukraine is behind us, Ukraine's future is behind us.”
Anti-government demonstrators stand on barricades during clashes with riot police in Kiev (Getty) The clashes came after Russia’s Finance Minister offered to deliver another tranche of bailout funds on Monday, sparking fears that the move could pave the way for a Moscow loyalist as the new prime minister. Anti-government demonstrators stand on barricades during clashes with riot police in Kiev (Getty) Despite the freezing conditions, dozens of tents have been set up in the square since the protests began in November, after Yanukovych spurned a historic trade and political agreement with European Union in favour of a £9bn financial bailout from Russia, used to balance the country's precarious finances. Russia had since frozen tranches of the aid amid behind-the-scenes pressure for Yanukovych to crush the protest movement.
Hundreds of thousands of people took the streets to demonstrate peacefully against the move, but the protests turned violent when the government introduced sweeping new legislation limiting basic freedoms in a bid to crush the opposition. Though it was later repealed, the opposition continues to push for early elections (due in 2015) and changes to the constitution.
The clashes came after Russia's Finance Minister offered to deliver another tranche of bailout funds on Monday, sparking fears that the move could pave the way for a Moscow loyalist as the new prime minister.