Ukraine appeared as though the worst was behind it as sitting President Yanukovych agreed to make concessions and sign a ‘peace’ deal with the opposition. After an initial truce was announced Feb. 19 however, protestors and riot police faced off once again, and the blood flowed anew in the streets of Kiev. Despite the supposed truce, at least 75 were reported killed in Ukraine’s Kiev following the “agreement.” More than 100 were reported to be injured as the police now officially have received firearms and a green-light from Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko to use live ammunition in dealing with belligerent demonstrators. So as Ukraine has reached an agreement, the questions remains whether it is enough to end the violence and bloodshed in Kiev.
Ukraine’s demonstrations which begun with simple marches and open-air protests, initiated when President Yanukovych snubbed a deal for EU integration, now appear to be anything but simple demonstrations. Kiev is barricaded on multiple fronts, the government building once being used by opposition leaders as a home-base has been firebombed and completely destroyed, burning tires and debris line the streets of Kiev, and opposition members walk the streets looking like masked guerrilla fighters.
The lines of division within the country are not absolutely clear on every point with Ukraine’s oppositions splintering into different factions calling for varying degrees of change to take place. Initially, opposition members and demonstrators began to call for the immediate resignation of President Yanukovych after his decision to snub the EU. Recently however, after much violence, death and injury suffered by both sides, Ukraine’s opposition leaders appear to be considering concessions and early elections as somewhat satisfactory. Whether this will be accepted by demonstrators on the ground however is another story. Rumors are that the opposition is somewhat divided with some still calling for the immediate resignation of Yanukovych, and others considering concessions and negotiations.
Ukraine’s Yanukovych decided to back out of the EU trade deal in favor of closer ties with Russia. The decision appeared to be influenced in part by pressure from Russia’s Vladimir Putin placed on the Ukrainian leader to join the soon to form Eurasian Union, led by Russia. Putin did sweeten his “strong suggestions” by offering Yanukovych some $15 billion, which he later suspended however due in part to Yanukovych’s failure to adequately and quickly restore order in Ukraine. As the recent news of Ukraine reaching a ‘peace’ agreement appears, Russia and the international community will watch and wait to see if it can stop the violence in the streets of Kiev.