Ukraine protests: three dead in Kiev as talks collapse

President Viktor Yanukovich met opposition leaders on Wednesday in an attempt to defuse street violence in which three people were killed overnight, but tension remained high as his prime minister branded anti-government protesters “terrorists”.

Two of the dead men perished from bullet wounds, Ukraine’s general prosecutor said, and the third died after plunging from the top of Dynamo football stadium while fighting with police.

Boxer-turned-politician Vitaly Klitschko, one of the leaders, later told thousands of protesters on Kiev’s Independence Square there had been no positive response from Mr Yanukovich to their demands in three hours of talks.

“Today they (the police) are preparing to clear us out of the ‘Maidan’ (Independence Square),” Mr Klitschko declared.

“We must do all we can to stop them clearing us out,” he said, urging people to stay and defend the square.

“Tomorrow if the president does not respond … then we will go on the offensive,” he said to a roar of support from protesters.

Read more from Europe Editor Matt Frei: Kiev, January 2014: black smoke in the sky, blood stains in the snow

They were the first protest-related deaths since the crisis erupted last November after Mr Yanukovich ditched a trade deal with the European Union in favour of financial aid from Soviet-era overlord Russia to prop up Ukraine’s ailing economy.

The protesters, inflamed by news of the deaths, faced off again with riot police, whom they have battled in bloody clashes near the government headquarters since Sunday night.

Though repelled by forays of baton-wielding riot police, they continued to return to the spot, setting ablaze tyres and sending clouds of black smoke wafting into police lines.

Fifty people were detained overnight and 29 of them were officially charged with taking part in mass unrest, police said. A total of 167 police have been injured. There was no word on the number of civilians injured.

‘Against bloodshed’

Before going into the talks with the opposition, former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk and far-right nationalist Oleh Tyahnibok, Mr Yanukovich issued a statement deploring the overnight loss of life.

Urging people not to heed the calls of “political radicals”, Yanukovich said: “I am against bloodshed, against the use of force, against inciting enmity and violence.”

Mr Yanukovich has so far stood firm against opposition demands for the dismissal of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov’s government and the prosecution of the interior minister, whom the protesters hold responsible for heavy-handed police tactics.

The meeting withMr Yanukovich marked a small victory for the three leaders who had sought his direct participation in talks.

But, with radical protesters slipping out of their control and ignoring their pleas for non-violent action, it seemed unlikely opposition leaders would be satisfied with a repetition of appeals from Mr Yanukovich to rein in the demonstrators.

EU concerns

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday said the current handling of the situation by Ukraine could have an impact on its relations with the 28-member bloc.

“We are generally concerned about where these developments are taking Ukraine and we will continue following closely these developments as well as assess possible actions by the European Union and consequences for our relations with that country”, Mr Barroso said.

Mr Barroso said the EU was shocked by the deaths, deplored the use of force and called on all sides to immediately halt violence.

“We deplore in the strongest possible terms the use of force and violence and call on all sides to immediately refrain from it and start taking steps that will de-escalate this situation”, Mr Barroso added.

‘Terrorists’

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Azarov blamed the opposition leaders for the deaths and warned that all “criminal actions” would be punished.

Mr Azarov said: “Terrorists from the ‘Maidan’ (Independence Square) seized dozens of people and beat them… I am officially stating that these are criminals who must answer for their action.”

“The responsibility primarily lies on those leaders of opposition parties who created this situation.

“If they (opposition leaders) support those hoodlums, those extremists and provokers, they should straight-up say, yes, we are together. If they (opposition leaders) don’t support them, they should, together with the authorities, remove these provokers from the capital’s streets,” he continued.

Given the recent deaths, Mr Azarov stated the introduction of emergency laws to curb rising tensions isn’t being considered seriously at this stage.

“It is extremely far away from this,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Nikonov, the Russian State Duma deputy, said “We, without reservation, support the legitimately elected government of Ukraine. We do not support the illegal actions taken in order to destabilise the situation.”

Police fired teargas and the protesters threw petrol bombs, however the violence in the city is restricted to a small area.

Protests have been taking place in Kiev since November, after President Yanukovych’s decision to shun a trade pact with the European Union.

The Ukrainian government last week rushed new laws through parliament that are designed to crack down on protest and to outlaw unauthorised tents. The laws also prohibit protective head gear and masks at protests – laws that some protesters have deliberately opposed.

Many are now demanding the resignation of the Ukrainian president.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevicius said on Monday that further violence could lead to EU sanctions against Ukraine, although no official discussions have been held so far.

The US embassy in Kiev said on Wednesday it had revoked the visas of several unidentified Ukrainians in response to action taken against protesters in November and December and said further measures could be taken.