Lenin statue toppled in Ukraine protest

Lenin statue toppled in Ukraine protest


Kiev, Ukraine -- Protesters in Kiev knocked down a statue of Vladimir Lenin on Sunday as outrage mounted over the government's suspension of talks with the European Union.

A crowd of cheering protesters chanted "Good job" after the statue fell.

Pieces of the statue were on the ground. Only parts of the Soviet hero's legs remained at the base. A man waving a Ukrainian flag stood atop the pedestal beside them.

Numerous statues of Lenin, one of the leaders of the 1917 Russian Revolution, have been removed from Kiev in previous years.

The toppling of the statue on Sunday came as 100,000 protesters took to the streets of Kiev, according to police estimates, piling more pressure on Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich after he turned away from integration with Europe.

Kiev suspended talks with the European Union last month, angering many Ukrainians who say an EU agreement would have opened borders to trade and set the stage for modernization and inclusion.

The subsequent protests that have rattled the eastern European country are the biggest in Ukraine since the so-called Orange Revolution nine years ago, a populist movement that toppled the government.

Opposition leaders, who failed to force the government's resignation in a vote of confidence in parliament last week, are counting on their supporters to voice their discontent.

Demonstrators flocked to the capital's Independence Square, many camping out in freezing weather as they demanded the government's ouster as well as early presidential and parliamentary elections.Others rallied outside the cabinet office, the presidential office and other government offices -- in some cases blocking the buildings and preventing employees from working.

Tens of thousands of anti-government activists met at noon in Kiev for a rally organizers hailed as the "1 Million March," hoping it would swell to 1 million people as the day went on.

Ukrainian opposition leaders said close to half a million people were out on the streets. Police put the figure at 60,000.

The crowd waved Ukrainian and EU flags and chanted slogans such as "Ukraine is Europe." Some held pictures of Yanukovich's jailed chief political opponent, Yulia Tymoshenko.

In statements posted on her official website, Tymoshenko called on supporters to keep up their demands.

"I believe that you are strong, inspired and not retreat," wrote the former prime minister, who ended a 12-day hunger strike last week, according to the Batkivschyna opposition party.

"Be prepared for the fact that the struggle will be long and difficult, instant victory impossible. But professional and well-planned, your joint struggle has a chance to finish the victory.

"Opposition demands

Demonstrators held a similar rally December 1. The daily protests have mainly been peaceful, but there has also been some violence, drawing condemnation from Western governments.

The crowds often swell in size in the evenings as people leave work and join the protests.

In speeches at the rallies, protest leaders have called for the government's resignation, the release of protesters arrested during clashes in Kiev, and the punishment of those responsible for using violence against demonstrators.

"I appeal to the whole Ukraine, its East and West. The whole Ukraine must rise and declare a strike to this power in all cities and towns from tomorrow," said boxer Vitaly Klitschko, an opposition leader, in a statement on the website of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party.

Opinion: Why Ukraine's future lies with the EU, not Russia

Ukraine, Russian presidents meet

Against the backdrop of the anti-government protests, Yanukovich met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

The Ukrainian President traveled to China last week and had a work meeting with his Russian counterpart on the way back.

"The two Presidents discussed current bilateral relations and preparations for the upcoming meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission in Moscow," an official statement from Putin's office said.

One of the main reasons for Yanukovich's decision to backpedal on the EU talks is Russia's threat of trade sanctions and gas bill hikes. Yanukovich was also under pressure by the EU to free Tymoshenko.

The Orange Revolution that swept him from office in 2004, when he was prime minister, also swept Tymoshenko to power.

Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 after being convicted of abuse of authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia in 2009. The United States and Europe see the punishment as politically motivated.

Ekleyen HayalPrensesi on 10:00 in foreign news, Ukraine

Anti-government protesters calls for nationwide strike in Ukraine

Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- Nine years ago, a massive populist movement in Ukraine booted then-Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich from office.

Today, the eastern European country is in the midst of a new wave of anti-government protests, the likes of which it hasn't seen since those turbulent days in 2004.

And this time, say protesters, they want to see Yanukovich -- now Ukraine's president -- gone for good.

"This is not a protest. This is a revolution," protest leader, Yuri Lutsenko, told a crowd of thousands who packed Independence Square in the capital Kiev on Sunday."Revolution! Revolution!" the crowd chanted.

What started out late last month as demonstrations against Yanukovich's decision not to sign a landmark trade deal with the European Union has ballooned into something much larger: protesters are now demanding new parliamentary and presidential elections.

The government, however, isn't going down without a fight.

The peaceful Sunday rally took a turn when demonstrators tried to push through barricades at the president's administration building using a bulldozer. They were met with stun grenades and tear gas.

Then, after dark, the batons came out; police chased and beat protesters.

Dozens were hurt on both sides.

Undeterred, the protesters have called for a nationwide strike, beginning Monday.

Protesters want to close streets and surround government buildings. On Facebook, they posted a map suggesting places where demonstrators can park their cars to block traffic.

"It is not about the European Union or the customs agreement with Russia anymore," said protester Irina Zaloga. "It is about Ukraine fighting against the criminal authorities."

How it began ...

At the heart of the protests is Ukraine's about-turn after a year of insisting that it was intent on signing a historic political and trade agreement with the European Union.

The deal, the EU's "Eastern Partnership," was aimed at creating closer political ties and generating economic growth among the nations of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, including Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.

On November 21, Yanukovich's government decided to suspend talks with the EU.

Ukrainians were outraged.

The agreement with the EU would have opened borders to trade, and set the stage toward modernization and inclusion, they said.

Why Yanukovich backpedaled ...

Yanukovich had his reasons for backpedaling on the deal.

Chief among them was Russia's opposition to it.

Russia threatened its tiny neighbor with trade sanctions and steep gas bills if Ukraine forged ahead.

If Ukraine didn't, and instead joined a Moscow-led Customs Union, it would get deep discounts on natural gas, Russia said.

There also was a second reason -- a more personal one.

Yanukvich also was facing a key EU demand that he was unwilling to meet: free former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, his bitter political opponent. The same "Orange Revolution" that swept him from office also swept Tymoshenko to power.

Two years ago, she was found guilty of abuse of office in a Russian gas deal and sentenced to seven years in prison in a case wide seen as politically motivated. Her supporters say she needs to travel abroad for medical treatment.

"Yanukovych has decided it's more important to keep Tymoshenko in prison than to integrate Ukraine closer toward Europe," said David Kramer of Freedom House, a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization.

"He has left his country vulnerable to Vladimir Putin's threats and pressure. That will be Yanukovych's legacy if he doesn't reverse course."

What happens next ...

Rather than running out of steam, the protests seem to be swelling -- with demonstrators streaming in from places far from the capital city.

"The reason (for going to Kiev) is very simple - to stand up, today, for ourselves and for those young people, women, who went to Maidan (Independence Square)," Andriy Kornat told Reuters.

Kornat arranged for protesters to travel to Kiev from Lviv, more than 300 miles away on the other side of the country.

Their destination: Independence Square, which has become a tent city.

"Our plan for tomorrow is to start with picketing in front of Ukrainian ministers' cabinet," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of the opposition party Motherland, on Sunday. "Our main political demand for tomorrow is the resignation of Ukrainian Cabinet ministers. A no-confidence resolution to the government has been presented to the parliament... Our main goal is Yanukovich's resignation."

Mindful that violence will only beget more violence, Vitaly Klitschko, one of the protest leaders, urged for calmer heads to prevail.

"We should not be provoked. There are a lot of provocateurs," he said during his Sunday speech at Independence Square. "We can change the power in a civilized way."

How the government will respond ...

Ukrainian Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko apologized for the government's response Sunday, saying riot police abused their power. Kiev's police chief also resigned.

But Zakharchenko also had a warning for the protesters.

"If there are calls for mass disturbances," he said, "then we will react to this harshly."

Ekleyen HayalPrensesi on 01:01 in foreign news, Kiev, Ukraine