Eurasia Press & News
Ukraine’s opposition sought to ratchet up pressure on President Viktor Yanukovich after clashes between police and protesters turned deadly.
Opponents met Yanukovich on Thursday to demand snap elections and the annulment of anti-protest laws after giving the president a 24-hour deadline on Wednesday, opposition leader Vitali Klitschko said. The former heavyweight boxing champion agreed to a truce with riot police until 8pm in the centre of Kiev, where demonstrators set tyres on fire to complicate police movements.
Yanukovich is struggling to stem rallies against his November snub of a European Union cooperation deal, with police crackdowns fanning people’s anger. Three days and nights of clashes left as many as five people dead and about 2,000 injured as anti-protest laws took effect at midnight on Thursday and the government gave the police special powers to quell the demonstrations.
