Officially, Independence Square was closed to protesters today for holiday preparations. Protesters in the square have taken to hanging Ukrainian flags on the still undecorated monument.
h/t
Moscow News
Our Ukrainian Service reports that there are people on a main avenue leading to Independence Square holding Molotov cocktails. Opposition members are trying to identify them, but some in the crowd are accusing them of being provocateurs.
Crowd estimates varying widely. Arseny Yatsenyuk, the leader of the opposition "Fatherland" party, says 500,000 have turned out. But there is typically a wide gap between estimates from protest organizers and officials.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko has issued an apology for "excessive use of force," according to Interfax-Ukraine.
"I would like to personally apologize for my colleagues for the excessive use of force against participants in the actions on Independence Square," he said. He added that the actions were not ordered by the Interior Ministry.
More fallout from the violence in Independence Square. The Kyiv police chief, Valery Koryak, has submitted a letter of resignation (we cannot yet confirm that this has been accepted). Earlier, the Interior Ministry temporarily suspended him. Koryak has denied that he issued an order to break up the encampment.
On our Ukrainian Service's live blog.
"Activists walking from Mikhailovsky Square with a huge Ukrainian flag, chanting, 'Down with the Gang.'"
While today's Kyiv rally is taking place in downtown Shevchenko Park, according to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, about 300 protesters are holding fort in Mikhailovska Square. An encampment formed there yesterday after riot police broke up the one in Independence Square.
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