Opposition leaders have called for massive protests and a general strike to challenge Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's decision not to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union.
Wednesday -- Barring major events, we will be providing more limited updates on the live blog today.
Long term protest strategy appears to be setting in. Protesters marching to various government buildings, including the central bank and the prosecutor general's office. In Independence Square, meanwhile, the barricades are continuing to grow and thousands still remain.
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Tuesday wrap-up (final post for the evening)
-- Early in the day, the Ukrainian parliament voted against holding a vote of no confidence in the government. They needed 226 votes, but only came up with 186.
-- Angry crowds chanted "shame" outside the parliament. By late afternoon, Independence Square had swelled to at least 10,000 protesters again and the leaders of the three main opposition parties led a crowd of thousands to the presidential administration building. Most, including the opposition leaders returned to Independence Square.
-- Ukrainian Prime Minister Azarov, who survived a potential no-confidence vote this morning, apologized for violence against protesters, but also harshly condemned the continuing demonstrations and the occupation of government buildings. He said the actions are "unconstitutional" and "illegal."
-- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has arrived in China to begin a three day visit, which will be followed by a trip to Russia. Still, he has promised he remains committed to EU integration.
-- Until late November, Yanukovych had said he intended to sign a pact with Europe, but backed out after pressure from Moscow. He also refused to allow former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to leave prison for medical care in Germany -- a key European demand.
-- The encampment in Independence Square remains, with barricades meant to protect it from riot police continuing to grow and crowds of protesters camping out overnight. The city administration building and the trade union building are still occupied.
The Interior Ministry says there are 10,000 protesters in the square, according to Interfax.
17:233.12.2013
Update via Daisy Sindelar:
The lv.ua news site is collecting data on Ukrainians arrested for alleged violence during the December 1 storming of the presidential administration building. Family members and acquaintances report that many of them were severely beaten by members of the Berkut riot police, and that none were participating in the violence. Rights workers have submitted a formal complaint to local prosecutors accusing the security forces of torture and failing to provide medical care.
Here are some of those listed on the site:
1. Serhiy Nuzhenko -- a salesman and amateur photographer who was taking pictures at Bankova Street outside the presidential administration; he is reportedly suffering from a traumatic brain injury as a result of multiple beatings.
2. Yaroslav (surname unknown) -- a shop worker not associated with any political groups or organizations who came to Bankova out of curiosity. A friend said Yaroslav told him by phone he had been beaten by riot police.
3. Yuriy Bolotov -- 40, father of two. Came to Bankova as a bystander; was separated from friends during the raid by special forces. Neither his family nor his lawyer know where he is being held.
4. Oleksandr Ostashchenko -- 32, father of one. Not a member of any political organizations. He suffered two broken fingers, a concussion, and bruising during the Berkut raid; a YouTube video shows him raising his hands to fend off attack: He has been hospitalized while in police custody.
5. Mykola Lazarovskiy -- an architect. His wife last spoke to him at 10 p.m. on December 1, when he called and said he was in the emergency room with a broken nose and head injuries. He was last seen on Bankova.
6. Yehor Trevir -- family members say Bankova was the first time he had participated in a political protest. Police claim he was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time of his arrest, an assertion his family denies. He received severe head injuries and has periodically lost consciousness since.
7. Vladyslav Zagorodniy, father of three. Detained at Bankova at 4 o'clock on December 1; his family and lawyers were informed of the arrest only 12 hours later.
8. Valeriy Garagunts -- a journalist from Dnipropetrovsk. Went to Bankova carrying a first-aid kit and a camera. He was beaten with a truncheon and kicked in the back and groin. He has numerous bruises and head injuries. He reported seeing Berkut police photographing each other on the square as they stood with their boots on the heads of detainees lying on the ground. He said the detainees were kept on the asphalt for three hours, and that several of the men slipped in and out of consciousness.
18:513.12.2013
19:153.12.2013
19:243.12.2013
Via our Ukrainian Service, police have opened criminal investigations into injuries suffered by at least 26 journalists during protest-related violence. A body representing media in Ukraine has recorded 55 cases of journalists being hurt in clashes since Friday.
Polish journalist Paul Pyenonzhek says he was beaten by Ukrainian riot police on December 1.
19:343.12.2013
Video from earlier tonight, when leaders of the three main opposition parties -- Vitali Klitschko, of UDAR, Arseniy Yatseniuk, of Fatherland and Oleh Tyahnybok, of Svoboda -- came to the presidential residence. Yanukovych is in China and the leaders left without meeting anyone from the administration.
Although Yanukovych's press team has confirmed his arrival in China, Yatseniuk says this:
"We just went to look for the Ukrainian President, because he has left the administration [building], but has not reached China. At I understand it, he is somewhere in Mezhigorye [his presidential residence]. The fate of the country is in his hands right now and we've given him several opportunities to resolve this situation."
19:423.12.2013
In a statement, Azarov commends the majority in parliament for its "objective stance" in refusing to allow a vote of no confidence to go forward.
He adds:
"I also ask Ukrainians not to succumb to the illegal actions the opposition has called for. They understand perfectly well that they violate not only the Ukrainian Constitution, but also criminal law."
He says negotiations with the EU on an Association Agreement will continue to go forward.
20:273.12.2013
Tom Balmforth describes the scene inside the city administration building, which includes volunteer doctors, political party paraphernalia and lots of tea.
20:373.12.2013
Via Daisy Sindelar:
More dissent among the ranks. According to the "Leviy Bereg" news site -- which was filing updates on Facebook following its lv.ua site crash -- Party of Regions deputy and Yanukovych ally Hanna Herman minced few words while discussing the failure of Ukraine's education minister, Dmytro Tabachnyk, to subdue student protesters. Speaking on ICTV, she said: "If Ukraine had a normal education minister, one who had the respect of the people, then he would have gone out and explained to the students why the EU agreement wasn't signed. And then relations would have been different. But really, could Tabachnik ever go out to the people? They'll spit on him."
12:314.12.2013
Wednesday -- Baring major events, we will be providing only limited updates on the live blog today.
Tuesday wrap-up (final post for the evening)
-- Early in the day, the Ukrainian parliament voted against holding a vote of no confidence in the government. They needed 226 votes, but only came up with 186.
-- Angry crowds chanted "shame" outside the parliament. By late afternoon, Independence Square had swelled to at least 10,000 protesters again and the leaders of the three main opposition parties led a crowd of thousands to the presidential administration building. Most, including the opposition leaders returned to Independence Square.
-- Ukrainian Prime Minister Azarov, who survived a potential no-confidence vote this morning, apologized for violence against protesters, but also harshly condemned the continuing demonstrations and the occupation of government buildings. He said the actions are "unconstitutional" and "illegal."
-- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has arrived in China to begin a three day visit, which will be followed by a trip to Russia. Still, he has promised he remains committed to EU integration.
-- Until late November, Yanukovych had said he intended to sign a pact with Europe, but backed out after pressure from Moscow. He also refused to allow former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to leave prison for medical care in Germany -- a key European demand.
-- The encampment in Independence Square remains, with barricades meant to protect it from riot police continuing to grow and crowds of protesters camping out overnight. The city administration building and the trade union building are still occupied.
