00:24
19.2.2014
Klitschko has left the meeting with Yanukovych, saying it was fruitless.
08:39
19.2.2014
There have been plenty of reports on social media of police in Kyiv being much more heavily armed than usual.
"@j_parus: #Kyiv s new traffic police at lva tolstoho. #euromaidan. #Ukraine #kiev pic.twitter.com/i1V2V1OrSK"
— A. Z. Lipovetsky (@Ziscenovski) February 19, 2014
08:41
19.2.2014
A morning update from the editor of the English-language "Kyiv Post":
While not officially declared, #Ukraine seems to be in de facto state of emergency. Trains & buses have stopped, roads closed... 1/2
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 19, 2014
2/2 police w/ AK74s guard Kyiv streets, people unable to move freely city to city. Ex-defense minister says airborne troops en route to Kyiv
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 19, 2014
08:43
19.2.2014
Kyiv's Independence Square this morning:
unfortunately berkut succeeded in occupying part of Independence sq pic.twitter.com/50vwMsXbeC
— Kateryna_Kruk (@Kateryna_Kruk) February 19, 2014
08:51
19.2.2014
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service is live streaming from the city center this morning. The footage is remarkable: smoke rising above barricades, protesters with masks and construction helmets, an eerie orange half-light pervading everything. In the background the sound of chanted hymns and chipping as stones and paving slabs are being dug up.
10:10
19.2.2014
10:53
19.2.2014
It looks like the EU is seriously considering sanctions (from the wires):
EU foreign policy chief Catherine has summoned the bloc's foreign ministers for emergency talks on Ukraine in Brussels Thursday.
Ashton said Wednesday that “all possible options" should be explored, including "restrictive measures against those responsible for repression and human rights violations."
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he expects that “targeted measures against those responsible” for the violence in Ukraine and the use of excessive force during protests can be agreed by EU member states “as a matter of urgency.”
The comments come after clashes between police and antigovernment protesters in Kyiv left 25 people dead.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt blamed President Viktor Yanukovych for the bloodshed, saying he had "blood on his hands."
Ashton said Wednesday that “all possible options" should be explored, including "restrictive measures against those responsible for repression and human rights violations."
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he expects that “targeted measures against those responsible” for the violence in Ukraine and the use of excessive force during protests can be agreed by EU member states “as a matter of urgency.”
The comments come after clashes between police and antigovernment protesters in Kyiv left 25 people dead.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt blamed President Viktor Yanukovych for the bloodshed, saying he had "blood on his hands."
10:58
19.2.2014
And the Russians have weighed in as well, saying the violence is an attempted coup:
Russia's Foreign Ministry has described the latest events in Ukraine as an attempt to "forcibly seize power."
The Ministry in a statement Wednesday demanded that Ukrainian opposition leaders end the "bloodshed" in their country and resume dialogue "without threats and ultimatums."
It also said Moscow is "outraged" by the absence of reaction from Western nations and Ukrainian opposition leaders to radicals' actions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin spoke with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych late on Tuesday.
Peskov said the Russian president wants to see an early settlement in Ukraine but "does not give advice" to Yanukovych.
Peskov also said Moscow is sticking to its policy of non-interfering in what is happening in Ukraine. He added that at the moment, he could not comment on Russia's releasing a second tranche of a multibillion loan agreed last year.
The Ministry in a statement Wednesday demanded that Ukrainian opposition leaders end the "bloodshed" in their country and resume dialogue "without threats and ultimatums."
It also said Moscow is "outraged" by the absence of reaction from Western nations and Ukrainian opposition leaders to radicals' actions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin spoke with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych late on Tuesday.
Peskov said the Russian president wants to see an early settlement in Ukraine but "does not give advice" to Yanukovych.
Peskov also said Moscow is sticking to its policy of non-interfering in what is happening in Ukraine. He added that at the moment, he could not comment on Russia's releasing a second tranche of a multibillion loan agreed last year.
11:17
19.2.2014
The information campaign from the Euromaidan protesters has been fascinating to watch, especially in the way in which it has utilised social media channels to sway the narrative. Here is a heartfelt appeal to the West from one protester, which has already got over 700,000 views on YouTube.
11:25
19.2.2014
UNIAN and ITAR-TASS are reporting that paratroopers have been sent to Kyiv.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev says he has sent paratroopers units to the capital, which has been the scene of deadly clashes between police and antigovernment protesters.
Lebedev said on Wednesday that he had ordered the paratroopers units from the eastern city of Dnipropetrovsk to be sent to Kyiv to guard military bases with weapons and ammunition.
Ukraine's former Defense Minister Anatolyy Hrytsenko wrote in his Facebook account earlier on Wednesday that 500 troops of the 25th Paratroopers Brigade in Dnipropetrovsk had been sent to Kyiv.
The Ukrainian army has not been involved in the stand-off between the government and antigovernment protesters that started in November after President Viktor Yanukovych suddenly stepped away from signing the Association Agreement with the European Union.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev says he has sent paratroopers units to the capital, which has been the scene of deadly clashes between police and antigovernment protesters.
Lebedev said on Wednesday that he had ordered the paratroopers units from the eastern city of Dnipropetrovsk to be sent to Kyiv to guard military bases with weapons and ammunition.
Ukraine's former Defense Minister Anatolyy Hrytsenko wrote in his Facebook account earlier on Wednesday that 500 troops of the 25th Paratroopers Brigade in Dnipropetrovsk had been sent to Kyiv.
The Ukrainian army has not been involved in the stand-off between the government and antigovernment protesters that started in November after President Viktor Yanukovych suddenly stepped away from signing the Association Agreement with the European Union.