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Police Beat Back Protesters In Kyiv
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Police Beat Back Protesters In Kyiv

Live Blog -- Unrest In Kyiv

At least three protesters have died during Ukraine's continuing unrest. RFE/RL will be providing live updates as the crisis in Kyiv intensifies.

Final Summary

-- At least two people have died from gunshot wounds. Another activist, who dissapeared yesterday from a Kyiv clinic, was identified by a relative in a suburban Kyiv morgue.

-- The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine announced that it had revoked visas for some officials involved in November and December violence and condemned the violence that occured early Wednesday morning.

-- Pitched conflict between riot police and protesters continued overnight on Hrushevskoho street, as protesters maintained huge fires along their barricades, using mostly burnt tires.

-- The three main opposition leaders met earlier in the day with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Later, in speeches at Independence Square they said they demanded he call early elections. Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk gave him 24 hours.

-- Opposition leaders are expected to meet with Yanukovych again on Thursday afternoon. Vitali Klitschko, head of the Udar party, has called for a general strile to begin at noon as a way of demonstrating that opposition to the president is serious.

Glenn Kates
10:45 23.1.2014
Final Summary

-- At least two people have died from gunshot wounds. Another activist, who disappeared yesterday from a Kyiv clinic, was identified by a relative in a suburban Kyiv morgue.

-- The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine announced that it had revoked visas for some officials involved in November and December violence and condemned the violence that occured early Wednesday morning.

-- Pitched conflict between riot police and protesters continued overnight on Hrushevskoho street, as protesters maintained huge fires along their barricades, using mostly burnt tires.

-- The three main opposition leaders met earlier in the day with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Later, in speeches at Independence Square they said they demanded he call early elections. Opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk gave him 24 hours.

-- Opposition leaders are expected to meet with Yanukovych again on Thursday afternoon. Vitali Klitschko, head of the Udar party, has called for a general strile to begin at noon as a way of demonstrating that opposition to the president is serious.

Glenn Kates
01:59 23.1.2014
One more photo before wrapping up for the night.

01:50 23.1.2014
Several people have posted photos on Twitter showing apparent government supporters surrounding the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. There has been no statement from the Embassy, but the U.S. Ambassador, Geoffrey Pyatt, retweeted the photo below.



01:18 23.1.2014
Almost 20 hours after police tried to break through the barricades, this is the scene.



00:41 23.1.2014
Via our Ukrainian Service, video of Garik Nigoyan, the father of Serhiy Nigoyan, who was shot dead early on January 22.

"From the first day we were strongly against him [participating in the protests], but he didn't listen," says Nigoyan.

He adds that his son may have refused to listen because he was depressed and was having relationship problems.

00:10 23.1.2014
Arsen Klinchayev, Party of Regions Regional Council Deputy from Lugansk, says he does not regret the killing of demonstrators today.



"These people work against the government," he said. "Noone has the right to use force against police. They have used sticks, stones and other things. The police have the right to defend their lives and because of that I think it was right that four people were killed."

He said authorities should take even stronger action tomorrow.

The deputy had shown up unannounced at a demonstration to commemorate protesters who had reportedly died in Kyiv earlier in the day. RFE/RL can currently only confirm three deaths, although an opposition medic has said five people have been killed.

Video via our Ukrainian Service.
23:27 22.1.2014
Via our Ukrainian Service:

Ukraine's Institute for Mass Information reports that at least 42 journalists have been injured in clashes on Hrushevskoho street over the past three days.
22:43 22.1.2014
According to "Ukrainska Pravda," three students were put under house arrest for "sewing unrest." More than 70 protesters have been detained today according to the Interior Ministry, with dozens being held under a new law passed last week that can carry up to a 15 year prison sentence.
22:32 22.1.2014
More on Yuriy Verbitskiy, who was found dead in a forrest earlier today, and who is said to have been tortured. The authorities have begun a murder investigation. According to the activist's niece, only Verbitskiy's brother recognized him in the morgue

His fellow activist, Ihor Lutsenko, reported on Facebook yesterday that ten men had abducted them from a hospital and brought them to a forrest, where they were separated. He said the abductors carried out a mock execution, and that he’d “said goodbye” to his life at least three times before they abandoned him. He described the experience as “very hard, morally and physically."

21:36 22.1.2014
One of the many incredible images to appear out of Kyiv today.

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