With two protesters killed by gunshots and another beaten to death, the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych opened talks on Wednesday afternoon with the three leaders of his political opposition. This is likely the last chance the politicians have of heading off a full scale physical confrontation.
Aggressive police in riot gear have put Kiev’s center, with its thousands of protesters, in a state of tension. All day on Wednesday and into Thursday, sporadic conflict took place outside Dynamo Stadium. Protesters led by a splinter group that is right wing refused to give any ground to troops from the Ministry of the Interior.
The future of Ukraine is at stake, said many observers as the sides are torn between Europe and Russia and driven by anger due to the cronyism and corruption in the current government.
For the past two months, a partnership of die-hard nationalists, liberals that are pro-Europe and critics of the current royal family and its group of oligarchs has carried on a campaign of protracted protest with much of it peaceful.
That however could be coming to an end with the deaths of at least three and quite possibly more activists energizing and shocking thousands of protesters who turned out on Wednesday night.
One of the protesters killed earlier had been shot four times. Police denied using firearms, though they had rifles they aimed during the day. Protesters are portraying the dead as martyrs.
The group of politicians stopped talks following just three hours. The opposition leaders delivered angry words later over their determination to have the President ousted, but planned to continue talks on Thursday.
Fears spread on Wednesday that police planning to clear an encampment that has been in Independence Square in Kiev since November 21. Thousands flocked there Wednesday to protect the encampment.
The aggressive action by the police of clearing protesters from other streets on Wednesday came as the country celebrated Unification Day, which is a national holiday.
On Wednesday, one of the opposition leaders said the two sides only had 24 hours to stop possible bloodshed.
Many people were injured in clashes with the police on Wednesday. A number of them were medics and journalists leading some to accuse the government of deliberately targeting them.
A cease fire of 8 hours was reached late Thursday, but many worry that it will not last.