For the past week Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, has been in complete disaster. People from all over Ukraine have been protesting day and night because of the President’s denial for Ukraine to join the European Union and be closer to Russia.
After his decisions, The President, Viktor Yanukovych, went on an official trip to China where he signed economic agreements. The people did not like the President’s choice and are now demanding that he resign his seat.
This all began on November 22nd when 200 people came out to the Kiev square to protest. By the end of the upcoming week the crowd expanded to up to almost a million people. The Government, trying to make the people leave, used the police force. This attempt became fatal, leaving hundreds of men, women, and even children wounded and beaten. People are starting to believe that all this can cause a revolution, which can destroy the country and its people.
The next morning Prime Minister Mykola Azarov apologized for the violence, but made a direct vow. “We have extended our hand to you, but if we encounter a fist, I will be frank, we have enough force,” he said. On Monday, protestors broke into some government offices destroying everything, breaking windows and doors to show their aggression and response to an opposition call for a nationwide strike over Yanukovich’s switch toward Russia.
Vitaly Klitschko, Ukrainian boxer and one of the three leaders of the opposition party, told the people: “I alone cannot do a thing. The three of us together won’t be able to make a difference. But when we are 10, 20, 30, a hundred, 100,000, a million, they [the government] won’t be able to do anything.” After that speech on that Monday evening Viktor Yanukovych finally spoke to the people saying, “As for the politicians participating in this, I consider any radicalization of the political process will only have negative consequences. And using civil rallies with the aim of radicalization is always a mistake and someone must always carry political responsibility.”
Despite these warnings, people continue to protest on the streets of Kiev, putting up tents and staying up all night to be sure no one attacks them again.