Ukraine army won't be used against protesters – Defense Minister
26 January 2014, 13:11 1
Ukrainian Defense Ministry has ruled out using armed forces against rallying protesters, media say. In an interview with a Russian news agency, the country's military chief said Ukraine's constitution did not have a provision for that.
'The Army is to strictly abide by the constitution and laws of Ukraine, which define its role, function and tasks, including the cases when armed forces can be used,' Pavel Lebedev said on Sunday.
Ukraine rivals agree to pull forces back from Kiev streets
At a meeting of Ukrainian opposition leaders Arseny Yatsenyuk, Vitali Klitschko and Oleh Tyahnybok with President Viktor Yanukovych an understanding was reached on gradually clearing the streets and squares of Kiev of protesters as well as law enforcers.
At a meeting of Ukrainian opposition leaders Arseny Yatsenyuk, Vitali Klitschko and Oleh Tyahnybok with President Viktor Yanukovych an understanding was reached on gradually clearing the streets and squares of Kiev of protesters as well as law enforcers.
The presidential press service reports that this was announced by first deputy head of the presidential administration Andriy Portnov.
'The sides agreed that the squares and streets of the city of Kiev would be gradually cleared of both protesters and law enforcers,' Portnov said.
Ukraine opposition leader calls for more talks with government
The Ukrainian opposition called Sunday for more negotiations with the government, just hours after rebuffing an invitation to join the administration.
'We do not reject the offer, but we also don't accept it,' Arseniy Yatsenyuk, an opposition leader and former foreign minister, was quoted saying by Interfax news agency.
His comments came amid renewed violence. Protestors tried to storm the Congress Center near Independence Square. Police used teargas and stun grenades, according to Kiev Post newspaper.
Fire broke out in the former Lenin Museum.
President Viktor Yanukovych had offered Yatsenyuk and former boxing world champion Vitali Klitschko the posts of premier and deputy premier.
Klitschko rejected the offer, telling a cheering crowd that the opposition would insist on elections this year to unseat Yanukovych.
Yatsenyuk said earlier that the opposition was prepared to take over the government - but only with the purpose of leading the country into the European Union.
'But we don't believe one word of those in power,' he cried.
Ukrainian opposition turns down Yanukovich's proposal, talks to continue
Opposition leaders turned down Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich's proposal following a Saturday meeting where top government posts were offered to protest leaders and a review of the constitution was promised.
The proposals were rejected, with the head of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party, Vitaly Klitschko, saying that current laws must be abolished and presidential elections must be held this year. He added that negotiations will continue.
'Our country is put by those at power to the brink of falling apart,' said Batkivschina leader Arseny Yatsenyuk. 'We demand that Yanukovich relieves the position of ukraine's president and we need a new constitution.'
Ukraine: Yanukovych offers opposition way out of political crisis
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has offered a post of Prime Minister to the head of the Batkivschyna opposition faction, Arseny Yatsenyuk, and post of Deputy Minister of Humanitarian Issues to the leader of the UDAR Party, Vitaly Klitschko, Minister of Justice Yelena Lukash has informed.
'In case Yatsenyuk agrees to become Prime Minister, the Ukrainian President will dismiss the government,' Lukash is quoted as saying by the President's press service.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych promised to consider changes to the Ukrainian constitution - which currently gives the head of state huge powers - either through a referendum or through legislation.
The Ukrainian government and opposition have also agreed that protesters as well as police officers should leave the streets of Kiev, Andrei Portnov, the First Deputy Head of the President's administration has announced.
'The sides have agreed that Kiev squares and streets will be gradually cleared of both protesters and police,' he said on Saturday.
A meeting between Viktor Yanukovych, members of the task force for settling the political crisis and the leaders of opposition factions, Vitaly Klitschko, Arseny Yatsenuyk and Oleg Tyahnybok, lasted for three hours.
The head of the President's administration and task force, Andrei Klyuyev, the First Deputy of the President's administration, Andrei Portnov, and Minister of Justice, Yelena Lukash, also took part in the meeting which became the third over the passed week.
Kiev unrest: protesters free captive policemen, cease clashes
Both policemen whom protesters had held hostage in the Kiev city administration were released on Saturday. Clashes between radical protesters and the Interior Ministry's troops have stopped in the evening.
Everything is quiet in the streets now. Aggressively minded citizens do not make noise banging on metal objects. The police have stopped the water cannons. A pile of tires, separating the line of the police officers from the protesters, continues to burn. Through the smoke it is possible to see new units of policemen coming to help their colleagues.
Earlier it was reported that after a lull, the clashes between the radicals and soldiers of internal troops and special forces of the Interior Ministry in the Hrushevsky Street were resumed.
fragments of granite at the guards of order; the police from time to time answered with flash-bang grenades.
Besides, demonstrators burnt car tires. The black smoke obstructed police officers' view. Water cannons were being used by police to put out flames.
It was circa 8° C below zero in Kiev so water coming out of cannons promptly turned into ice.
Ten protesters are said to have been taken to hospital over the past 24 hours.
The number of Ukrainian internal forces' servicemen injured in the course of clashes with protesters has reached 65, the Interior Ministry informs on its website. Earlier, there were reports about 57 wounded servicemen.
According to the Ministry, servicemen happened to have a range of traumas, including contusions, closed craniocerebral injuries, concussions, burns and bruising legs and arms. The injured are being treated at the Interior Ministry's hospital.
Voice of Russia, Interfax, RIA, AFP, TASS, RT, dpa
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