Ukraine protest explodes in most violence since EuroMaidan launch

The EuroMaidan protest movement erupted in the most violence on Feb. 18 since its launch nearly three months ago. The civilian death toll reached about 28, with more than 1,000 injured. At least 77 activists were arrested, of which 19 have been imprisoned for two months. The Internal Affairs Ministry reported at least 10 officers dead and more than 445 injured. Activists and police exchanged gunfire, Molotov cocktails and stones throughout the day’s protests, which began when thousands of protesters were blocked from reaching the parliament building and attempted to force their way past police cordons and trucks. Police responded with stun grenades and the violence escalated from then on.

Police were prepared for a violent confrontation on Feb. 18 as riflemen lined the roofs along the protest route. Political opposition leaders accused them of provoking the conflict by shooting at the protesters from above and hurling grenades into the crowds. Protesters stormed the ruling Party of Regions headquarters near the parliament building, injuring several and killing at least one employee, news reports said. By evening, the police retook several government buildings from protesters and took control of two barricades on Independence Square. They reportedly set fire to the protest tents by throwing Molotov cocktails at them.

Meanwhile, protesters set fire to a second set of barricades to create a smokescreen and fed the first fire caused by the police. The EuroMaidan’s headquarters, the Trade Union building, was set on fire by state forces (who accused the protesters of setting the blaze). Protesters set two armored personnel carriers ablaze by throwing Molotovs.

Kyiv City Administration Chair Volodymyr Makeyenko declared a de facto state of emergency, stating the underground metro system would be closed indefinitely. Vehicles were restricted from entering the capital on Feb. 19 and Makeyenko urged businesses in the city center to limit hours of operation. By the early morning of Feb. 20, traffic police were still blocking access to Kyiv’ s central districts. The underground metro remains closed, as well as many businesses.

Tensions calmed in Kyiv by Feb. 19, though much fighting was reported in Ukraine’s oblast centers. Opposition supporters retook key government buildings, particularly the state oblast administrations that are the Presidential Administration’s local representative organs. They also took over police stations in several cities. Among those buildings burned were a police station in Ternopil and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) office in Khmelnytsk after its officers shot and killed several demonstrators. Seven state buildings were taken by activists in Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine. Numerous deaths were reported in the various oblast centers.

A truce was called the night of Feb. 19 between the Presidential Administration and political opposition leaders, but it proved hollow by morning. Throughout the night, police continued firing ammunition at demonstrators, including Molotovs and stun grenades, and showered them with water cannons, according to news reports. By morning, news reports said more state-sponsored thugs – a technique last used in Europe by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco – were being brought to the embattled Kyiv city center. Euro-Maidan activists retook key state buildings that had been taken by the police two days earlier and captured thugs and even a police sniper.

Zenon Zawada: We suspected violence could erupt when the political opposition declared a “peaceful offensive” march on parliament on Feb. 16. The events demonstrate the tension that exists between the political opposition, who have repeatedly urged nonviolent resistance, and the EuroMaidan movement, which is sticking to its own plan of action. The activists have lost patience with being sitting pawns for the political opposition.

The violent events also demonstrate the conflict has crossed the point of no return in which a peaceful compromise could be reached, in our view, Either the government or the opposition will have to triumph completely in order for there to be peace. Or a compromise can be reached by forming separate governments over separate territories. The capture and destruction of numerous state buildings in Ukraine’s western regions indicates the process of forming a separate government is accelerating.

Given that the two sides are quite evenly matched and the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych administration is not interested in compromise, we expect the fighting to continue for months, with lulls and flare-ups. More state organs will be invaded and occupied, involving more lethal conflicts involving police and state-sponsored thugs. The government might succeed eventually in liquidating the EuroMaidan territory from central Kyiv, but it will inevitably re-emerge in one form or another, possibly as a guerilla movement.