Fires Continue to Burn in Kiev, 26 Dead
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Photo by Alexander Koerner/Getty Images(KIEV, Ukraine) — Smoke rises over Kiev on Wednesday, as Ukraine’s capital city continues to burn following a night of deadly violence between riot police and anti-government protesters.
At least 26 people, including one journalist, have died and 241 others were hospitalized, Ukrainian Health Ministry officials said.
President Viktor Yanukovych blamed opposition leaders for the riots.
The crisis has been ongoing for nearly three months, since Yanukovych shelved an association deal with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia.
Tuesday’s violence was the deadliest in the recent string of anti-government protests. Protesters fought back against police who tried to dismantle barricades on the square’s perimeter, rolling tires into flames to fuel a wall of fire that prevented police from advancing.
Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko — a former heavyweight champ who left boxing to pursue politics — urged the 20,000 protesters to defend the camp on Independence Square that has been the heart of the protests.
“We will not go anywhere from here,” Klitschko told the crowd, speaking from a stage in the square as tents and tires burned around him, releasing huge plumes of smoke. “This is an island of freedom and we will defend it.”
Many heeded his call.
As police dismantled some of the barricades on the perimeter of the square and tried to push away the protesters, they fought back with rocks, bats and fire bombs. A large building the protesters had used as a headquarters caught fire and many struggled to get out.
Speaking over loudspeakers, police urged women and children to leave the square because an “anti-terrorist” operation was underway.
The protesters appeared to sense that Ukraine’s political standoff was reaching a critical turning point. As the tents and also some tires went up in flames, defiant protesters shouted “Glory to Ukraine!” and sang the Ukrainian national anthem.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called the Ukrainian president on Tuesday and urged him to pull back forces and “exercise maximum restraint.” While the U.S. condemned violence from either side, Biden told Yanukovych that the government “bears special responsibility to de-escalate the situation.”
The American ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt said,”We have made clear that the burden is on President Yanukovych. Yanukovych must take action now to rebuild a dialogue and end the crisis.”
The U.S. State Department also issued a new travel alert on Tuesday night, urging American citizens in Ukraine to “maintain a low profile and remain in doors at night while clashes continue.” The State Department further warned those Americans whose residences or hotels are in the area of the protests to either leave the area or prepare to remain in doors, possibly for “several days.”
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