• published: 19 Feb 2014
• views: 183

Protesters brace for a fresh assault by riot police in central Kiev after a day of clashes left dozens dead in the worst violence since the start of Ukraines three-month political crisis.Violent Protests Flare In Kiev After New Maneuvers By Russia And EU Ukraine Protests Leave 18 Dead And Hundreds Injured As Riot Police Burn Kiev Camp (PICTURES) Riot police move in against Kiev protest camp .... Ukraine Clashes Raise Stakes in Renewed East-West Contest Ukrainian President: Opposition Crossed Line With Call to Arms Ukrainian president urges opposition to stay away from radicals UN chief urges immediate renewal of genuine dialogue in defusing Ukraine crisis AP PHOTOS: Clashes set Kiev square aflame Riot police move in against Kiev protest camp Riot police attack protest camp Police, protesters wage war in deadly Kiev clashes Riot police move in against Kiev protest camp At Least 21 Die in Fiery Clashes in Heart of Ukraine Capital Local Ukrainians urge sanctions Ukraine Violence Leaves at Least 9 Dead 18 die in Ukraine violence Anti-Government Protests In Ukraine Turn Deadly 20 dead amid violent protests in Ukraines capital Kiev Ukraine police fight protesters after nations bloodiest day Ukraine protesters have crossed the limits: Yanukovych 7 cops among 21 killed in Ukraine Live Video From Kiev Ukraine protesters have crossed the limits, says Yanukovych 16 killed in Ukraine clashes Kiev descends Into bloodshed as crisis takes deadly turn Ukraine opposition-held building on fire Police assault turns Kiev protest camp into war zone Ukraine crisis: Police storm main Kiev Maidan protest camp Ukraine protests: Protester have crossed limits, says Viktor Yanukovych World Leaders Call for De-Escalation of Violence in Ukraine Ukrainian president urges opposition to step away from radicals Violence Escalates As Kiev Protests Continue Riot Police Move in Against Kiev Protest Camp Ukrainian riot police fought protesters occupying a central Kiev square early on Wednesday after the bloodiest day since the former Soviet republic, caught in a geopolitical struggle between Russia and the West, won its independence.After hours of clashes, police were gaining ground in Independence Square, center of three months of protests against President Viktor Yanukovich, but demonstrators managed to find protection behind a burning barricade of tires and wood.Shrouded in plumes of black smoke, police were trying to put out the fire with two water cannons and protesters responded by hurling petrol bombs at the police vehicles, a Reuters cameraman said.Police have gained control of almost half the square and several floors of a trade union building, used as an anti-government headquarters, were on fire as dawn was breaking.At least 14 protesters and seven policemen were killed in violence that erupted on Tuesday and continued into the early hours of Wednesday. Many were killed by gunshot and hundreds of people were injured, with dozens in serious condition, police and opposition representatives said.Representatives of protesters said one journalist was shot dead.Alarmed Western governments demanded restraint and dialogue. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called Yanukovich, urging him to pull back government forces and exercise maximum restraint, the White House said.Opposition leaders Vitaly Klitschko and Arseny Yatsenyuk said that they had quit talks with President Viktor Yanukovich without reaching any agreement on how to end the violence.The government must immediately withdraw troops and put an end to the bloody conflict, because people are dying. I told Yanukovich this, Klitschko said after the late night talks. How can we hold talks while blood is being shed?Yanukovich later urged leaders of the opposition to dissociate themselves from radicals, saying otherwise he would talk differently with them. Western powers warned Yanukovich against trying to smash the pro-European demonstrations, urging him to turn back to the EU and the prospect of an IMF-supported economic recovery, while Russia accused them of meddling.Ukraine has been rocked periodically by political turmoil since gaining independence from the Soviet Union more than 22 years ago, but it has never experienced violence on this scale.We are now facing of one of the most dramatic episodes in Ukrainian history, opposition leader Yatsenyuk said in a video message after emergency talks with the president failed.As the security forces moved forward, Klitschko, a former world champion boxer, reacted defiantly, telling supporters on the square: We will not leave here. This is an island of freedom. We will defend it.Earlier on Tuesday, the State Security Service (SBU), in a joint statement with the Interior Ministry, signaled the governments intentions.Violent Protests Flare In Kiev After New Maneuvers By Russia And EU Ukraine Protests Leave 18 Dead And Hundreds Injured As Riot Police Burn Kiev Camp (PICTURES) Riot police move in against Kiev pr