19:18
19.2.2014
There are plenty of compelling images in this Mashable photo gallery of events in Kyiv:
30 powerful photos from bloodiest day in #Kiev since start of #Ukraine uprising. @mashable http://t.co/OQ8uBiI2Z0 pic.twitter.com/7AqcaRDcOo
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) February 19, 2014
19:29
19.2.2014
News agencies are reporting that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken by telephone about the crisis in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Merkel said that Moscow and Berlin had agreed to stay in close contact and do everything possible to prevent a further escalation of violence.
Merkel said that Moscow and Berlin had agreed to stay in close contact and do everything possible to prevent a further escalation of violence.
19:37
19.2.2014
This just in from AP and Reuters:
U.S. President Barack Obama has warned "there will be consequences" for Ukraine if the violence there continues. Obama warned the Ukrainian military to stay out of the situation, saying he believes the crisis can still be resolved by civilians.
19:46
19.2.2014
The privately owned Ukrainian Internet station Espreso TV has this live stream of events in Kyiv. (Don't forget that you can also follow RFE/RL's own live feed here.)
21:26
19.2.2014
Finally, some breaking news coming in on the wires:
Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders have agreed to "a truce" and the start of direct negotiations on ending the country's crisis.
08:12
20.2.2014
Good morning, Luke Allnutt here, picking up the live blog again on the continuing crisis in Ukraine. Here's our early news wrap of the situation, with the EU expected to hold crisis talks in Kyiv.
08:13
20.2.2014
Fresh clashes have broken out between antigovernment protesters and riot police in Kyiv.
Agencies are reporting protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at police on Independence Square with police responding with teargas and rubber bullets.
Agencies are reporting protesters throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at police on Independence Square with police responding with teargas and rubber bullets.
08:18
20.2.2014
Couple of live streams from the square.
From our Ukrainian Service.
From Espreso TV
From our Ukrainian Service.
From Espreso TV
08:40
20.2.2014
Ian Traynor, the europe editor for "The Guardian," describes the situation on the ground in Kyiv.
08:43
20.2.2014
For your morning reading, here are three good, thoughtful takes on the crisis in Ukraine.
Among the Conspiracy Theorists by Peter Pomerantsev
All this is just what Putin wants. A national stand-off in Ukraine which redraws the lines between ‘Holy Russia’ and ‘Fascist-Homosexual West’.
Yanukovych’s gamble and Kiev’s burning by Mark Galleotti
Without in any way whatsoever condoning the violence of the government forces, I would note that they could have done much, much worse. On the whole, they have used birdshot from shotguns (brutal, but most likely to injure than kill) and the usual panoply of riot control: tear gas, water cannon, batons. This is not Chile 1973, Tiananmen 1989, or Andizhan (Uzbekistan) 2005.
Fascism, Russia, and Ukraine by Timothy Snyder
More subtly, what this campaign does is attempt to reduce the social tensions in a complex country to a battle of symbols about the past. Ukraine is not a theater for the historical propaganda of others or a puzzle from which pieces can be removed. It is a major European country whose citizens have important cultural and economic ties with both the European Union and Russia.
Among the Conspiracy Theorists by Peter Pomerantsev
All this is just what Putin wants. A national stand-off in Ukraine which redraws the lines between ‘Holy Russia’ and ‘Fascist-Homosexual West’.
Yanukovych’s gamble and Kiev’s burning by Mark Galleotti
Without in any way whatsoever condoning the violence of the government forces, I would note that they could have done much, much worse. On the whole, they have used birdshot from shotguns (brutal, but most likely to injure than kill) and the usual panoply of riot control: tear gas, water cannon, batons. This is not Chile 1973, Tiananmen 1989, or Andizhan (Uzbekistan) 2005.
Fascism, Russia, and Ukraine by Timothy Snyder
More subtly, what this campaign does is attempt to reduce the social tensions in a complex country to a battle of symbols about the past. Ukraine is not a theater for the historical propaganda of others or a puzzle from which pieces can be removed. It is a major European country whose citizens have important cultural and economic ties with both the European Union and Russia.