This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26267220
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Ukraine president 'agrees truce' with opposition | Ukraine president 'agrees truce' with opposition |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych says he has agreed a truce with opposition leaders, after at least 26 people died in protests this week. | Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych says he has agreed a truce with opposition leaders, after at least 26 people died in protests this week. |
| A statement on the presidential website said they had agreed to start "negotiations" aimed at ending the bloodshed of the last two days. | A statement on the presidential website said they had agreed to start "negotiations" aimed at ending the bloodshed of the last two days. |
| They also agreed to try to stabilise "the situation in the state in the interests of social peace". | They also agreed to try to stabilise "the situation in the state in the interests of social peace". |
| Earlier today, the president sacked the head of the armed forces. | Earlier today, the president sacked the head of the armed forces. |
| No reason was given for the dismissal of Col Gen Volodymyr Zamana, who was replaced by the commander of Ukraine's navy, Admiral Yuriy Ilyin, by presidential decree. | No reason was given for the dismissal of Col Gen Volodymyr Zamana, who was replaced by the commander of Ukraine's navy, Admiral Yuriy Ilyin, by presidential decree. |
| The announcement of a truce comes after the most intense violence in Ukraine's three-month crisis turned Kiev into a battle zone between anti-government protesters and riot police. | The announcement of a truce comes after the most intense violence in Ukraine's three-month crisis turned Kiev into a battle zone between anti-government protesters and riot police. |
| The protests began in late November, when President Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia. | The protests began in late November, when President Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia. |
| Since then, a militant protest movement has gripped the capital intent on seeing him ousted from power. | Since then, a militant protest movement has gripped the capital intent on seeing him ousted from power. |
| 'Protection of human life' | 'Protection of human life' |
| Clashes erupted on Tuesday when police tried to wrest control of Kiev's Independence Square, also known as the Maidan, which has been in the hands of protesters for several months. | |
| While the violence temporarily subsided on Wednesday, there were still periodic clashes and protesters reportedly seized the central post office in Kiev. | |
| Fires also continued to burn around Independence Square, with demonstrators and riot police locked in a tense stand-off. | Fires also continued to burn around Independence Square, with demonstrators and riot police locked in a tense stand-off. |
| The unrest has also spread outside of Kiev, with protesters seizing regional administrative and police buildings in the western cities of Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk. | |
| A woman was also reportedly shot dead during an attempt to storm a building belonging to the security services in Khmelnytskyy. | |
| The number of dead on both sides has climbed to 26 and it is feared the death toll could increase. | |
| The truce followed talks between President Yanukovych and the three main opposition leaders, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko and far-right party leader Oleh Tyahnybok. | The truce followed talks between President Yanukovych and the three main opposition leaders, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko and far-right party leader Oleh Tyahnybok. |
| The statement did not give details of what the truce would entail or how it would be implemented. | The statement did not give details of what the truce would entail or how it would be implemented. |
| "The storming of the Maidan (Independence Square) which the authorities had planned today will not take place," Mr Yatsenyuk said in a statement on the website of his Fatherland party. | "The storming of the Maidan (Independence Square) which the authorities had planned today will not take place," Mr Yatsenyuk said in a statement on the website of his Fatherland party. |
| "A truce has been declared. The main thing is to protect human life," he added. | "A truce has been declared. The main thing is to protect human life," he added. |
| The media wing of Vitali Klitschko's Udar party said the next round of negotiations with President Yanukovych would resume on Thursday. | |
| But a BBC correspondent in Kiev, Daniel Sandford, has urged caution, pointing out that none of the hardcore protesters attended the meeting with President Yanukovych in which the truce was discussed. | But a BBC correspondent in Kiev, Daniel Sandford, has urged caution, pointing out that none of the hardcore protesters attended the meeting with President Yanukovych in which the truce was discussed. |
| Several European leaders have condemned the Ukrainian leadership for the violence, with the French, German and Polish foreign ministers due to meet in Kiev on Thursday to assess the situation before an EU meeting in Brussels to decide whether to impose sanctions against Ukraine. | Several European leaders have condemned the Ukrainian leadership for the violence, with the French, German and Polish foreign ministers due to meet in Kiev on Thursday to assess the situation before an EU meeting in Brussels to decide whether to impose sanctions against Ukraine. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, the state security service announced it was launching a nationwide "anti-terrorist" campaign to deal with a growing "extremist threat". There was also a suggestion the armed forces could be deployed for the first time. | |
| In response, both the US and UN issued strongly-worded statements urging the authorities to avoid use of "excessive force" to disperse the protesters. | |
| US President Barack Obama warned there "will be consequences" for anyone who steps over the line in Ukraine - including the military intervening in a situation that civilians should resolve. | |
| Russia, meanwhile, has characterised the violence as an "attempted coup" by extremists it says are egged on by Western countries. |