From our news desk:
Protesters have gathered in central Kyiv to demand an end to a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, where security forces are battling pro-Russian separatists.
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service says several thousand people gathered outside the presidential administration building. Some of the protesters were wearing camouflage uniforms and balaclavas.
The protesters also demanded that President Petro Poroshenko declare martial law in eastern Ukraine, give sufficient weapons to volunteer battalions to fight the "terrorists" and social guarantees for servicemen involved in the army's military operation in the east.
They also called on the president to demand tougher EU sanctions against Russia for supporting the separatists.
On June 27, Poroshenko extended by 72 hours a weeklong cease-fire in eastern Ukraine. The shaky cease-fire is now set to expire on June 30.
Some of the protesters in Kyiv are threatening new President Petro Poroshenko with the fate of his predecessor if he doesn't come talk to them.
LIVE stream of the Maidan protests:
Demonstrators calling for an end to President Petro Poroshenko's cease-fire with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country are gathering today in Kyiv's Independence Square, the scene of months-long protests that toppled the last president.
LATEST from our news desk:
Ukraine's military says five soldiers were killed and at least 17 injured in the past 24 hours in eastern Ukraine, despite a cease-fire between security forces and pro-Russian separatists.
A military spokesman said three soldiers were killed in an attack on an army roadblock near the city of Slovyansk, in Donetsk region.
Another two were killed when separatists attacked a military convoy in Luhansk region.
There have been dozens of violations of the weeklong cease-fire extended by President Petro Poroshenko on June 27 by 72 hours.
The cease-fire which is part of a peace plan announced by Poroshenko last week. is now set to expire on June 30.
On June 28, the separatists released four out of a total of eight OSCE monitors they seized on May 29. The other four monitors were released earlier. (UNIAN and Interfax)