Despite a brief a truce, police in Ukraine have reportedly shot live rounds at protesters in Kiev, killing 21, as the protesters retook Independence Square, known as Maidan.
Photographs show police officers with sniper rifles, and eyewitnesses reported seeing police snipers shooting at protesters and a sharp rise in the number of people needing treatment for gunshot wounds in Maidan.
Protesters are using nearby hotel lobbies, in which the world’s press are staying, as makeshift triage centres.
Some protesters are also armed, with one policeman killed and a number more needing treatment for gunshot wounds overnight according to AP, with President Viktor Yanukovych claiming that any “truce” from opposition leaders was merely a way to stall for time and to arm “militants” and to push back to reclaim Maidan.
The death toll for the recent surge in violence has now reached 50, with hundreds more injured in the clashes, as neither side appears prepared to compromise. The opposition are insisting on the resignation of Yanukovych, whilst he seems prepared to fight until the end.
EU leaders are meeting with Yanukovych and opposition leaders to try and push towards a peaceful resolution, and have said that they will later discuss sanctions against those behind the bloodshed, including a possible ban on sales of equipment to Ukraine that could be used for internal repression.
US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt and EU Ambassador to Ukraine Jan Tombinski expressed their concern over the escalating violence in a joint statement:
The EU and U.S. Ambassadors to Ukraine express grave concern at the resumption of violence in Kyiv and urge the sides to return to a cease fire. A meaningful dialogue must be established immediately to address the concerns of the Ukrainian people and prevent further loss of life. The protection of human lives should be the highest priority at this moment.
Russia has described the actions of the protesters as an attempted coup, and said that they would try to use all their influence to restore peace and calm.
As a result of the ongoing clashes, half of the Ukrainian athletes at the Sochi Olympics are believed to have left the games to return home.