58-1222: [REDACTED] Anti-government protesters [REDACTED] Government of Ukraine Pro-government groups Parties Supported by: Arseniy Yatsenyuk Vitali Klitschko Oleh Tyahnybok Petro Poroshenko Yuriy Lutsenko Oleksandr Turchynov Andriy Parubiy Andriy Sadovyi Ruslana Tetiana Chornovol Dmytro Bulatov Dmytro Yarosh Refat Chubarov Viktor Yanukovych Mykola Azarov Serhiy Arbuzov Vitaliy Zakharchenko Oleksandr Yefremov Andriy Klyuyev Hennadiy Kernes Mykhailo Dobkin Viktor Pshonka Olena Lukash Yuriy Boyko Leonid Kozhara Dmytro Tabachnyk Kyiv : 400,000–800,000 protesters 12,000 "self-defense sotnia " Law enforcement in Kyiv: 3,000–4,000 titushky Pro-government/anti-EU demonstrations: 20,000–60,000 (Kyiv) 40,000 (Kharkiv) 15,000 (Donetsk) 10,000 (Simferopol) Post-Minsk II conflict Attacks on civilians Related Euromaidan ( / ˌ jʊər ə m aɪ ˈ d ɑː n , ˌ jʊər oʊ -/ YOOR -oh-my- DAHN ; Ukrainian : Євромайдан , romanized : Yevromaidan , IPA: [ˌjɛu̯romɐjˈdɑn] , lit. ' Euro Square ' ), or
116-439: A Facebook post by a journalist, Mustafa Nayyem , calling for a rally against the government. On 30 November 2013, protests were dispersed violently by Berkut riot police units. On 1 December, more than half a million Kyivans joined the protests in order to defend the students "and to protect society in the face of crippling authoritarianism", and through December, further clashes with the authorities and political ultimatums by
174-568: A "stark deterioration of democracy and the rule of law", including the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko and Yuriy Lutsenko in 2011 and 2012. In the months leading up to the protests, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych urged the parliament to adopt laws so that Ukraine would meet the EU's criteria. On 25 September 2013, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Rybak expressed confidence that parliament would pass all
232-493: A blanket ban on all demonstrations, the use of tents, sound equipment and vehicles until the end of the year. Second Azarov government The second Azarov government ( Ukrainian : Другий уряд Миколи Азарова , Druhyi uriad Mykoly Azarova ) was the government of Ukraine from 24 December 2012 to 28 January 2014. It was dissolved amidst the Euromaidan protests. The ministers (except Prime Minister Mykola Azarov who
290-427: A caretaker government. Prime Minister Azarov was replaced by deputy prime minister Serhiy Arbuzov . But under Ukrainian law the cabinet could be able to implement its duties for no more than 60 days. The compromise deal of 21 February 2014 between president Yanukovych and the opposition stipulated that a new national unity government was to be formed within ten days. Also on 21 February 2014 parliament dismissed
348-407: A formal resolution by protest organisers declared three demands: The resolution stated that on 1 December, on the 22nd anniversary of Ukraine's independence referendum , the group would gather at noon on Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti) to announce their further course of action. After the forced police dispersal of all protesters from Maidan Nezalezhnosti on the night of 30 November,
406-613: A good agreement." In mid-August 2013, Russia changed its customs regulations on imports from Ukraine such that on 14 August 2013, the Russian Customs Service stopped all goods coming from Ukraine and prompted politicians and media to view the move as the start of a trade war against Ukraine to prevent the country from signing the Association Agreement with the EU. Ukrainian Industrial Policy Minister Mykhailo Korolenko reported on 18 December 2013 that
464-515: A later date. Yanukovych later explained to his entourage the decision was the result of an exchange with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had allegedly threatened to occupy Crimea and a sizable part of southeastern Ukraine, including the Donbas , if he signed the EU agreement. In an interview with American journalist Lally Weymouth for The Washington Post , Ukrainian billionaire businessman and opposition leader Petro Poroshenko stated: From
522-496: A new term as prime minister. This nomination was approved by parliament on 13 December 2012. According to Svoboda, that voted absolutely against Azarov, his appointment is illegal at least due to such technicality in the law of Ukraine which requires the president of Ukraine to be physically present in the session hall of parliament during his candidacy approval by the Verkhovna Rada . The People's Deputy of Ukraine from
580-605: A personal decision to ask the Ukrainian president to accept my resignation from the post of Ukrainian prime minister". Under the Ukrainian constitution this meant the whole government had resigned. The president subsequently accepted the resignation and signed a decree dismissing the cabinet, which decree would not take effect until the Verhovna Rada approved a new cabinet. Hence the second Azarov government continued as
638-507: A revolt by Euromaidan activists. In the Russophone cities of Zaporizhzhia , Sumy , and Dnipropetrovsk , protesters also tried to take over their local government buildings and were met with considerable resistance from both police and government supporters. According to journalist Lecia Bushak, writing in the 18 February 2014 issue of Newsweek magazine, EuroMaidan [had] grown into something far bigger than just an angry response to
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#1732782975543696-705: A tent encampment made by protesters at 5:20 in the morning. The police detained three of the protesters, including the leader of the Odesa branch of Democratic Alliance , Alexei Chorny. All three were beaten in the police vehicle and then taken to the Portofrankovsk Police Station without their arrival being recorded. The move came after the District Administrative Court earlier issued a ban restricting citizens' right to peaceful assembly until New Year. The court ruling places
754-588: Is now in the government was foreseen and mentioned by the Ukrainian television studio Kvartal 95 in October 2012 in one of their episodes of Evening quarter . According to Anders Åslund , the government faced three big tasks: to govern, to break Ukraine's foreign isolation and to salvage the country from a vulnerable financial situation. In December 2012, he observed "little reason to believe that it can solve any of these three tasks". Communist Party faction leader Petro Symonenko stated on 28 December 2012 that
812-505: The 28 October 2012 parliamentary election . A number of government members, including Prime Minister Azarov, were elected to parliament in that election. In order to get these parliamentary mandates, they were obliged to submit documents on the dismissal from their previous job to the Central Election Commission within 20 days after the election (by 3 December). On 9 December 2012, Yanukovych nominated Azarov for
870-879: The Maidan Uprising , was a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine , which began on 21 November 2013 with large protests in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv . The protests were sparked by President Viktor Yanukovych 's sudden decision not to sign the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement , instead choosing closer ties to Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union . Ukraine's parliament had overwhelmingly approved of finalizing
928-493: The Ukrainian government decree suspended preparations for the signing of the Association Agreement. The reason given was that in the previous months, Ukraine had experienced "a drop in industrial production and our relations with CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries". The government also assured, "Ukraine will resume preparing the agreement when the drop in industrial production and our relations with Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries are compensated by
986-444: The Verkhovna Rada , the country's national parliament. A sufficient number of opposition members remained to form the necessary quorum , allowing parliament to pass a series of laws that removed police from Kyiv, canceled anti-protest operations, restored the 2004 constitution, freed political detainees, and removed President Yanukovych from office. Yanukovych then fled to Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv , refusing to recognise
1044-479: The deaths of almost 100 protesters and 13 police . As a result, Yanukovych and the parliamentary opposition signed an agreement on 21 February to bring about an interim unity government, constitutional reforms and early elections. Police abandoned central Kyiv that afternoon, then Yanukovych and other government ministers fled the city that evening. The next day, parliament removed Yanukovych from office and installed an interim government . The Revolution of Dignity
1102-736: The 3rd Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius , Lithuania , on 28–29 November 2013. A rally in Simferopol , which drew around 300, saw nationalists and Crimean Tatars unite to support European integration; the protesters sang both the Ukrainian national anthem and the anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen . 7 people were injured after a tent encampment in Dnipropetrovsk was ordered cleared by court order on 25 November and it appeared that thugs had undertaken to perform
1160-530: The Agreement with the EU, but Russia had put pressure on Ukraine to reject it. The scope of the protests widened, with calls for the resignation of Yanukovych and the Azarov government . Protesters opposed what they saw as widespread government corruption , abuse of power , human rights violations , and the influence of oligarchs . Transparency International named Yanukovych as the top example of corruption in
1218-678: The Communist Party of Ukraine and the Party of Regions had not concluded any agreements concerning the Communist support of Mykola Azarov's candidacy for the post of Prime Minister but that his party had supported this nomination because Azarov had told them his government was ready to implement the program on Ukraine's accession to the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia . Symonenko added that should Azarov fail to fulfill
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#17327829755431276-510: The European market." According to Prime Minister Mykola Azarov , "the extremely harsh conditions" of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan (presented by the IMF on 20 November 2013), which included big budget cuts and a 40% increase in gas bills, had been the last argument in favour of the government's decision to suspend preparations for signing the Association Agreement. On 7 December 2013,
1334-565: The IMF clarified that it was not insisting on a single-stage increase in natural gas tariffs in Ukraine by 40%, but recommended that they be gradually raised to an economically justified level while compensating the poorest segments of the population for the losses from the increase by strengthening targeted social assistance. The same day, IMF Resident Representative in Ukraine Jerome Vacher stated that this particular IMF loan
1392-758: The Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaliy Zakharchenko . On 22 February 2014 the Ukrainian parliament appointed Oleksandr Turchynov as a coordinator of the Cabinet of Ukraine (Serhiy Arbuzov was not dismissed from his position). The same day the Verkhovna Rada adopted number of laws which appointed parliamentary commissioners in control of several state agencies such as Ministry of Defense ( Volodymyr Zamana ), Security Service of Ukraine ( Valentyn Nalyvaichenko ) and Prosecutor General 's office ( Oleh Makhnitsky ). Parliament also appointed Arsen Avakov as
1450-555: The State Service for Youth and Sports, creating a Ministry of Education and the (new) Ministry of Youth and Sports. On 2 July 2013 Oleksandr Lavrynovych was elected as member of the Supreme Council of Justice of Ukraine . Olena Lukash replaced Lavrynovych as Justice Minister 2 days later. After on 28 January 2014 Prime Minister Mykola Azarov was replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov all ministers in
1508-494: The Ukrainian government's policy mix had "generated large external and fiscal imbalances" and that this had "contributed to deepening the recession in the country". When the cabinet took oath 24 December 2012; till 5 February 2013 the posts of Minister of Culture and Minister of Industrial policy were vacant. On 28 February 2013 President Viktor Yanukovych reorganized the Ministry of Education and Science, Youth and Sports and
1566-629: The Ukrainian television channel TVi that the communists absolutely will not vote for any candidates for the prime minister of Ukraine from the Party of Regions . On 13 December, absolutely all members of the Communist Party of Ukraine voted as one for the candidacy of Mykola Azarov as the Prime Minister of Ukraine. On 24 December 2012, the second Azarov government was appointed by president Yanukovych (Presidential Ukase #726/2012 ). The coalition of Party of Regions and Ukraine – Forward! as it
1624-450: The Verkhovna Rada and the president remained unchanged: the resignation of the government; the release of all political prisoners, first and foremost; [the release of former Ukrainian Prime Minister] Yulia Tymoshenko; and [the release of] nine individuals [who were illegally convicted after being present at a rally on Bankova Street on December 1]; the suspension of all criminal cases; and the arrest of all Berkut officers who were involved in
1682-537: The acting Minister of International Affairs. Also on 22 February 2014 parliament expressed no confidence to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Pshonka following his dismissal from the post. On 23 February 2014 the Verkhovna Rada dismissed the Minister of Healthcare Raisa Bohatyriova . It also dismissed the Minister of Education and Science Dmytro Tabachnyk On 24 February 2014 (revoted on 24 February) Minister of Foreign Affairs Leonid Kozhara
1740-509: The beginning, I was one of the organizers of the Maidan. My television channel—Channel 5—played a tremendously important role. We gave the opportunity to the journalists to tell the truth.... On the 11th of December, when we had [U.S. Assistant Secretary of State] Victoria Nuland and [E.U. diplomat] Catherine Ashton in Kyiv, during the night they started to storm the Maidan. I put my car in front of
1798-559: The clearance. Officials estimated the number of attackers to be 10–15, and police did not intervene in the attacks. Similarly, police in Odesa ignored calls to stop the demolition of Euromaidan camps in the city by a group of 30, and instead removed all parties from the premises. 50 police officers and men in plain clothes also drove out a Euromaidan protest in Chernihiv the same day. On 25 November, in Odesa, 120 police raided and destroyed
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1856-623: The dismissal of Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaliy Zakharchenko became one of the protesters' main demands. Ukrainian students nationwide also demanded the dismissal of Minister of Education Dmytro Tabachnyk after a draft law potentially increasing tuition fees was proposed. A petition to the United States' White House demanding sanctions against Viktor Yanukovych and Ukrainian government ministers gathered over 100,000 signatures in four days. On 5 December, Batkivshchyna faction leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk stated, Our three demands to
1914-597: The early morning of 30 November caused the level of protests to rise, with 400,000–800,000 protesters demonstrating in Kyiv on the weekends of 1 and 8 December, according to Russia's opposition politician Boris Nemtsov . In the preceding weeks, protest attendance had fluctuated from 50,000 to 200,000 during organised rallies. Violent riots took place on 1 December and from 19 January through 25 January in response to police brutality and government repression. Starting 23 January, several Western Ukrainian oblast (province) government buildings and regional councils were occupied in
1972-405: The face concealment ban by wearing party masks, hard hats and gas masks. They attempted to march from the Maidan to the parliament buildings. Fierce clashes broke out on Hrushevsky Street when the protest march was blocked by riot police. The violent standoff continued for three days, during which three protesters were shot dead by riot police. The deadliest clashes were on 18–20 February, which saw
2030-457: The fallen-through EU deal. It's now about ousting Yanukovych and his corrupt government; guiding Ukraine away from its 200-year-long, deeply intertwined and painful relationship with Russia; and standing up for basic human rights to protest, speak and think freely and to act peacefully without the threat of punishment. Late February marked a turning point when many members of the president's party fled or defected, causing it to lose its majority in
2088-411: The illegal beating up of children on Maidan Nezalezhnosti. The opposition also demanded that the government resume negotiations with the IMF for a loan that they saw as key to helping Ukraine "through economic troubles that have made Yanukovych lean toward Russia". The Euromaidan protest movement began late at night on 21 November 2013 as a peaceful protest. The 1,500 protesters were summoned following
2146-630: The laws needed to fulfill the EU's criteria since, except for the Communist Party of Ukraine , "[t]he Verkhovna Rada has united around these bills." According to Pavlo Klimkin , one of the Ukrainian negotiators of the Association Agreement, initially "the Russians simply did not believe [the association agreement with the EU] could come true. They didn't believe in our ability to negotiate a good agreement and didn't believe in our commitment to implement
2204-444: The mediation of EU and Russian representatives. There was to be an interim unity government formed, constitutional reforms to reduce the president's powers, and early elections. Protesters were to leave occupied buildings and squares, and the government would not apply a state of emergency. The United States supported a stipulation that Yanukovych remain president in the meantime, but Maidan protesters demanded his resignation. The signing
2262-459: The most severe violence in Ukraine since it regained independence. Thousands of protesters advanced towards parliament, led by activists with shields and helmets, and were fired on by the Berkut and police snipers. Almost 100 were killed. On 21 February, an agreement was signed by Yanukovych and leaders of the parliamentary opposition ( Vitaly Klitschko , Arseny Yatsenyuk , Oleh Tyahnybok ) under
2320-466: The movement Eurorevolution ( Ukrainian : Єврореволюція , Russian : Еврореволюция). The term "Ukrainian Spring" was also occasionally used during the protests, echoing the term Arab Spring . On 30 March 2012, the European Union (EU) and Ukraine initiated an Association Agreement ; however, EU leaders later stated that the agreement would not be ratified unless Ukraine addressed concerns over
2378-674: The new Russian trade restrictions had caused Ukraine's exports to drop by $ 1.4 billion (or a 10% year-on-year decrease through the first 10 months of the year). In November 2013, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine recorded that in comparison with the same months of 2012, in 2013 industrial production in Ukraine had fallen by 4.9% in October, 5.6% in September, and 5.4% in August, with an year-total loss of 1.8% industrial output compared to 2012 levels. On 21 November 2013,
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2436-585: The opposition ensued. This culminated in a series of anti-protest laws by the government on 16 January 2014 and further rioting on Hrushevskoho Street . Early February 2014 saw a bombing of the Trade Unions Building , as well as the formation of "Self Defense" teams by protesters. On 19 January, up to 200,000 protesters gathered in central Kyiv to oppose the new anti-protest laws, dubbed the Dictatorship Laws . Many protesters ignored
2494-411: The parliament voted on 3 December 2013. After weeks of Euromaidan protests, and clashes, during which civilians were killed , Prime Minister Azarov offered his letter of resignation on 28 January 2014. According to his cabinet, Azarov was quoted saying that "In order to create additional opportunities for socio-political compromise, for the sake of the peaceful settlement of the conflict, I have made
2552-520: The parliament's decisions. The parliament assigned early elections for May 2014. In early 2019, a Ukrainian court found Yanukovych guilty of treason. Yanukovych was also charged with asking Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops to invade Ukraine after he had fled the country. The charges have had little practical effect on Yanukovych, who has lived in exile in the Russian city of Rostov since fleeing Ukraine under armed guard in 2014. The term "Euromaidan"
2610-438: The parliamentary faction UDAR , Iryna Herashchenko , stated that all political appointments that took place that day are a "political bribe" of the party of power ( Party of Regions ) to the Communist Party of Ukraine . On 4 December 2012, nine days before the appointment of Azarov, a people's deputy of Ukraine from the Communist Party of Ukraine Spiridon Kilinkarov insisted on the political talk show Syohodni. Pro holovne on
2668-472: The promise of Ukraine's joining this customs union, the Communists would initiate his resignation. In 2013 the government managed twice to survive the vote of no confidence from the Ukrainian parliament until finally the president of Ukraine accepted the resignation of prime minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov earlier in 2014. The first time the parliament voted on 19 April 2013. The second time
2726-417: The protests mostly took place. The word "Maidan" is a Persian word meaning "square" or "open space". It is a loanword in many other languages and was adopted into the Ukrainian language during the period of Ottoman Empire influence on Ukraine . During the protests, the word "Maidan" acquired the meaning of the public practice of politics and protest. When Euromaidan first began, media outlets in Ukraine dubbed
2784-692: The release of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko . The shift away from the European Union (EU) was preceded by a campaign of threats, insults and preemptive trade restrictions from Russia. After a few days of demonstrations, an increasing number of university students joined the protests. The Euromaidan has been characterised as an event of major political symbolism for the European Union itself, particularly as "the largest ever pro-European rally in history." The protests continued despite heavy police presence, regular sub-freezing temperatures, and snow. Escalating violence from government forces in
2842-460: The riot police. On 11 December 2013, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov announced that he had asked for €20 billion (US$ 27 billion) in loans and financial aid to offset the cost of the EU deal. The EU was willing to offer €610 million (US$ 838 million) in loans with the condition of major reforms to Ukrainian laws and regulations while Russia was willing to offer US$ 15 billion in loans and cheaper gas prices with no legal reform preconditions. On 29 November,
2900-552: The universities of western Ukrainian cities such as Lviv , Ivano-Frankivsk and Uzhhorod . Protests also took place in other large Ukrainian cities, such as Kharkiv , Donetsk , Dnipropetrovsk (now Dnipro) , and Luhansk . The rally in Lviv in support of the integration of Ukraine into the EU was initiated by the students of local universities. This rally saw 25–30 thousand protesters gather on Liberty Avenue [ uk ] in Lviv. The organisers planned to continue this rally until
2958-550: The world. The violent dispersal of protesters on 30 November caused further anger. Euromaidan was the largest democratic mass movement in Europe since 1989 and led to the 2014 Revolution of Dignity . During the uprising, Independence Square (Maidan) in Kyiv was a huge protest camp occupied by thousands of protesters and protected by makeshift barricades. It had kitchens, first aid posts and broadcasting facilities, as well as stages for speeches, lectures, debates and performances. It
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#17327829755433016-511: Was dismissed by parliament and parliament a decision to dismiss the Minister of Social Policy Natalia Korolevska and the Minister of Culture Leonid Novokhatko . On 27 February 2014 Ukraine's parliament approved a resolution to dismiss the government. They immediately followed it by the appointment of the new cabinet members of the Yatsenyuk government . In December 2013 the IMF stated that
3074-696: Was guarded by 'Maidan Self-Defense' units made up of volunteers in improvised uniform and helmets, carrying shields and armed with sticks, stones and petrol bombs. Protests were also held in many other parts of Ukraine. In Kyiv, there were clashes with police on 1 December ; and police assaulted the camp on 11 December . Protests increased from mid-January, in response to the government introducing draconian anti-protest laws . There were deadly clashes on Hrushevsky Street on 19–22 January. Protesters then occupied government buildings in many regions of Ukraine. The uprising climaxed on 18–20 February, when fierce fighting in Kyiv between Maidan activists and police resulted in
3132-434: Was initially used as a hashtag on Twitter after a Twitter account named Euromaidan was created on the first day of the protests. The title soon became popular across international media. The name is composed of two parts: "Euro", which is short for Europe, reflecting the pro-European aspirations of the protestors, and "maidan", referring to Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), a large square in downtown Kyiv where
3190-434: Was replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov (ex officio), continued briefly as a caretaker government. On 27 February 2014 Ukraine's parliament approved a resolution to formally dismiss the government. On 3 December 2012, the first Azarov government became a caretaker government after Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich accepted the resignation of prime minister Mykola Azarov and his government following
3248-795: Was soon followed by the Russian annexation of Crimea and pro-Russian unrest in Eastern Ukraine, eventually escalating into the Russo-Ukrainian War . The demonstrations began on the night of 21 November 2013, when protests erupted in the capital Kyiv . The protests were launched following the Ukrainian government's suspension of preparations for signing the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement in favour of closer economic relations with Russia and rejection of draft laws which would have allowed
3306-553: Was witnessed by Foreign Ministers of Poland, Germany and France. The Russian representative would not sign the agreement. The next day, 22 February, Yanukovych fled to Donetsk and Crimea and parliament voted to remove him from office. On 24 February Yanukovych arrived in Russia. A 24 November 2013 protest in Ivano-Frankivsk saw several thousand protestors gather at the regional administration building. No classes were held in
3364-513: Was worth US$ 4 billion and that it would be linked with "policy, which would remove disproportions and stimulate growth". President Yanukovych attended the 28–29 November 2013 EU summit in Vilnius , where the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was originally planned to be finalised but the agreement was not signed. Both Yanukovych and high level EU officials signalled that they wanted to sign the Association Agreement at
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