EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine – Nov. 21-23 coverage

Watch events on Independence Square on live-streaming video

Nov. 23, 6 p.m. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian service, Radio Svoboda, is live streaming EuroMaidan in Kyiv, where already this evening hundreds have gathered. Watch the demonstration in real-time here. — Christopher J. Miller

Call for sanctions against Ukraine’s leaders

Nov. 23, 5:57 p.m. Opposition lawmaker Volodymyr Ariev on Twitter adds a demand of the EuroMaidan movement to the list, appealing to the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt and the American government to put into place visa bans and other sanctions against those Ukrainian officials, specifically President Viktor Yanukovych, responsible for suspending Ukraine’s pursuit of European integration. — Christopher J. Miller

Ukrainian Canadian Congress calls for action on Nov. 24

Nov. 23, 5:53 p.m. To the member organizations of The Ukrainian Canadian Congress

Dear community leaders,

On November 21, 2013, the Government of Ukraine made a decision to suspend the process leading to the signing of European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement and to resume an active dialogue with the Russian Federation and other member countries of the Customs Union.

In this regard, and in solidarity with the European aspirations of the Ukrainian people in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) calls on all its member organizations to initiate public demonstrations on Sunday, November 24, 2013, calling upon Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych to immediately take the necessary steps to ratify the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement during the Third Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius on 28-29 November 2013.

Please forward appropriate photos and video materials from these events to [email protected] ensure they are posted on the UCC website and are available for Ukraine’s media to inform its citizens.

Sincerely,

Pavlo Grod, UCC National President –Brian Bonner

Taras Kuzio calls for at least 100,000 Ukrainians to protest

Nov. 23, 2:49 p.m. Taras Kuzio, Ukrainian political analyst, says at least 100,000 of Ukrainians need to express their will to join the European Union. “If 100,000 Ukrainians don’t protest, we’ll fail. Moldova managed to mobilize thousands of people on the streets in support of EU integration. If they can do it, Ukraine is also able to do it,” Kuzio adds. — Olena Goncharova

Protesters list their demands

Nov. 23, 2:35 p.m. Bogdana Babich, director of the Kyiv-based Institute for Practical Politics, on behalf of EuroMaidan protesters, posts to Facebook a list of demonstrators’ demands.

“We, citizens of Ukraine who gathered on Independence Square, we have clear requirements,” it begins.

The demands are as follows:

1. We demand from President (Viktor Yanukovych) to sign an association agreement with the European Union.

2. To demand from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to cancel orders of the government from November 21, 2013 on the suspension of European integration processes.

3. To demand parliament to adopt the necessary legislative acts concerning European integration.

4. Handle the request to the European Commission, European Parliament and EU member governments to remove all additional terms and conditions that prevent the signing of an agreement on associate membership with the EU.

5. Handle request to the European Commission, European Parliament and EU governments not to put the future of Ukraine’s dependence on those individual personalities of Ukrainian politicians. — Christopher J. Miller

Brussels rally in support of EuroMaidan

Nov. 23, 1:45 p.m. Ukrainians in Brussels will gather on Nov. 24 at noon near the European Parliament, “to express solidarity with their compatriots in Ukraine who are supporting the signature of the Association Agreement with the EU,” reads the description of the event’s Facebook page Friends of Ukraine are also welcome, according to event organizers. — Christopher J. Miller

Police close Ukrainian House

Nov. 23, 12:35 p.m.: Police have closed Ukrainian House on European Square in Kyiv indefinitely “until further notice,” ostensibly because of the threat of political opposition, according to what police officers told Morgan Williams, executive director of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council in Washington, D.C. Williams, who regularly visits Kyiv, had scheduled an exhibition of Holodomor photos in the center through Sunday. Other exhibitions, such as a jewelry one, were also shut down. “There is no threat here at all,” Williams said of the police explanation. He said that there are currently few protesters outside Ukrainian House, which is located at European Square, the site of tomorrow’s scheduled protest, “but lots of police.” Williams said that the rumor on the street outside the Ukrainian House is that the exhibition hall was closed so that riot police could set up headquarters in Ukrainian House. He also called the action “an overreaction of the police state,” Williams said. He said that supporters of ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko started showing up en masse because they want to construct a stage for tomorrow’s protests and are worried that police won’t let them do so. It is possible Ukrainian House will be reopened on Monday, he said. –Brian Bonner

Online map of protest locations

Nov. 23, 12:18 p.m. An online map, which shows Ukrainian cities where people gathered to support Ukraine-European Union integration, was created lately by Facebook user Bogdan Tsap. Demonstrators already gathered in Ternopil, Lutsk, Chernivtsi, Kharkiv, Lugansk and other Ukrainian cities. Lviv, which brings about 10,000 protesters, is among the most active cities. Some rallies are planned to be held abroad – in Polish Warsaw and Krakiv. The map can be found here. — Olena Goncharova

Journalist fired for reporting about EuroMaidan protests

Nov. 23, 11:43 a.m. Tanya Melnychenko, anchor of the morning news program on the Business Channel, said that she was fired today for a straightforward segment on the EuroMaidan protests. She called her news coverage balanced and said her dismissal sets a “dangerous precedent.” She said, however, that she is glad to be leaving a TV station that does not allow “real journalism” and she expressed her belief in the “strength, fortitude, courage and invincibility” of Ukrainians when they stand united. “The Ukrainian spirit will win!” Melnychenko told the Kyiv Post that the immediate dismissal order came from a subordinate of the director for news. Melnychenko also urged all Ukrainians to stand up for their beliefs. “Now is not the time for people to be afraid. It’s easy to manipulate people when they are afraid. I want people to know they have to say the truth always.” Business channel chief editor Andriy Probytuk referred calls for comment to general producer Sergey Amelichev, who did not immediately respond to request for comment. Probytuk said he doesn’t know who owns Business Channel, but some journalists suspect that the station belongs to people close to Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov. “I don’t want to be a hero. I was only doing my job,” Melnychenko said. “Everyone could do it and end up in the same situation.” –Brian Bonner

Big rallies set for Nov. 24

Nov. 23, 11:08 a.m. On this day of International Holodomor Remembrance Day, people continue to promote Sunday’s big rallies scheduled for noon at the Taras Shevchenko Monument and 1 p.m. at European Square on Khreshchatyk Street. Organizers ask participants to bring Ukrainian and European Union flags only. –Brian Bonner

Washington rally today in support of EuroMaidan

Nov. 23, 10:47 a.m. A rally to support EuroMaidan will be held outside Ukraine’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., at 3:30 p.m. (EST). The address is 3350 M St. N.W. in the capital’s Georgetown neighborhood. Information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/181048528764067/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular — Brian Bonner

Police try to clear Independence Square of demonstrators

Nov. 23, 10:33 a.m. Police officers try to clear up Maidan Nezalezhnosti from the demonstators. Part of the square is already blocked by New Year Tree construction area. “They just seized the square little by little,” one of the protesters told 5 Channel. — Olena Goncharova

Quiet morning on Independence Square

Nov. 23, 9:30 a.m. Maidan Nezalezhnosti is mostly quiet, demonstrators have dispersed for now. — Christopher J. Miller

Strong police showing at scene of protests

Nov. 23, 8:45 a.m. Police congregate at Maidan Nezalezhnosti following last night’s mass demonstration. — Christopher J. Miller

Demonstrators sing, continue rallying past midnight

Nov. 23, 12:40 a.m. The rally goes on. Popular Ukrainian songs are played from the tribune. Anyone is invited to go up on the tribune and give a speech. — Olga Rudenko

Lviv EuroMaidan turns out large crowds

Nov. 22, 10:30 p.m. The rally in Lviv city center grows to the size of the demonstration in Kyiv. Reports of more than 1,500 Lvivans there, chanting pro-EU slogans. In Chernivtsi, Sumy, Vinnitsya, Kriviy Rih, Donetsk, and Kharkiv about 100 to 500 people in each location also held demonstrations. — Christopher J. Miller

Police move to bolster security

Nov. 22, 10 p.m. Horodetskoho Street near Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square hosts 11 police buses. Large and small groups of Berkut officers are waiting in the street. — Olga Rudenko

Police obstruct construction of makeshift tents

Nov. 22, 9:30 p.m. Activists installed a makeshift tent at the Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square. City administration representatives appeared and read the Kyiv City Court decision from Nov. 22 banning the installation of tents or any similar constructions during the rallies. Shortly after that a column of around 70 officers of police special force Berkut entered the square from Horodetskoho Street, removed the tent and left the square.— Olga Rudenko

Crowd comparisons

Nov. 22, 9:30 p.m. Photo shows the size of the crowd on Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square at 6:45 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. of Nov. 22. — Olga Rudenko

Small Donetsk protest take place in support of EU integration

Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m. A small group assembles in the city center of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Demonstrators numbered in the mere hundreds, but stayed till late in the night chanting pro-EU slogans and expressing their desire for Ukraine to integrate with the West. Donetsk blogger, and activist Denis Kazanskiy led the group. — Christopher J. Miller

Opposition leaders speak

Nov. 22, 7 p.m. Opposition parties’ leaders Arseniy Yatseniuk, Vitaly Klitschko and Oleh Tyahnybok give short speeches from the tribune. Yatseniuk calls people to come to the “big Maidan” rally scheduled for Nov. 24. Speeches don’t get much reaction from the people. Yuriy Lutsenko, founder of The Third Republic civil initiative, former interior minister and a leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution, also gave a speech. — Olga Rudenko

About 2,000 gather on Nov. 22

Nov. 22, 6 p.m. Around 2,000 people gathered at Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square in Kyiv around the tribune installed on a car. Part of the square is blocked by New Year Tree construction area. Several hours before city authorities installed eight wooden kiosks meant for Christmas Square in the square, blocking the rally center from the road. In 2012 Christmas Fair took place in Khreshchatyk Street, not at Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square. — Olga Rudenko

OTHER COVERAGE:

See also coverage of the first night of the protests: “Nine years after start of Orange Revolution, Kyivans take to streets in protest of scuttled EU deal”