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.
Statement by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych:
I express my deep regret over the loss of lives in the conflict triggered by political extremists. My sincere condolences to the grieving families.
Once again, I ask people to resist the calls of political radicals. It is still not too late to stop and resolve the conflict peacefully .
Once again I call on the opposition to come to the negotiating table and stop this confrontation.
I am against bloodshed, against the use of force and against hate speech and violence.
I ask people do return to their homes. We must return peace, tranquility and stability to Ukraine.
11:5422.1.2014
An elderly protester -- apparently with a wound to his head.
11:4222.1.2014
A reporter for Ukraine's Channel 5.
11:3422.1.2014
The president of the European Parliament.
11:3422.1.2014
The first victim of today's unrest, Serhiy/Serzh Nihoyan, is an ethnic Armenian. One commenter on Facebook noted that Nihoyan "has his roots in a country that also recently stopped its assocation process with the EU." Demonstrators are already referring to the 20-year-old Dnipropetrovsk native, a poet who had written works dedicated to Euromaidan, as "our Shevchenko" -- a reference to 19th-century Ukrainian poet and artist Taras Shevchenko.
11:2622.1.2014
Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton. The U.S. was the first to offer sanctions today -- revoking visas of some officials -- and many expect the EU to follow suit.
11:0622.1.2014
The standoff as it looks right now. Riot police approaching another set of barricades in a renewed attempt to clear the area around Hrushevskoho street.
10:5622.1.2014
The body of a victim who died today is carried away by medics as supporters sing hymns. The identity of the person is not clear.
10:4522.1.2014
Photo from the Vkontakte page of Serhiy Nigoyan, a protester from Dnipropetrovsk, in Ukraine's southeast, who died from gunshot wounds -- reportedly by riot police. It is not yet clear what type of bullets were used. Ukrainian riot police have been firing rubber bullets at protesters for the last few days.
