Ukraine opposition activists suffer brutal attacks

Several reports surfaced on Dec. 24 of activists being assaulted for their activity in opposition to the government. Most notably, activist and journalist Tetiana Chornovol was severely beaten the evening of Dec. 24 after video-recording the suburban Kyiv mansions of Internal Affairs Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko and Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Pshonka. Special police forces followed her during the latter recording, reported the Ukrayinska Pravda news site. She suffered a concussion, a broken nose, multiple hematomas and could not walk afterwards.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, EuroMaidan organizer Dmytro Pylypets was assaulted on a central street, during which he was stabbed 12 times, reported Arsen Avakov, the city’s leading opposition politician. The two assailants tried to immobilize him with gas and stabbed him in arteries in his head, Avakov reported. In addition, local activists endured two cars being set afire while another car’s wheel mounts were removed.

Zenon Zawada: Given that the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych has done nothing to bring to justice the perpetrators of violence in the previous well-publicized incidents (instead giving awards to high-ranking law enforcement officers and even blaming the victims), we don’t expect much progress in these cases. There is ample evidence in these cases of government officials’ support for such violent acts, though that’s unlikely to be proven in court. These beatings signify the government’s intensifying persecution of the opposition that will only grow worse, making more acute the conflict in Ukrainian society.