Features Editor
Protests
in Ukraine have garnered international attention and numerous world groups seem
to have their own opinions.
Here
is a timeline that has led up to the protests:
November
21, 2013: Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych refuses to sign a deal that
would strengthen relations with the European Union (EU), but instead aims to
create stronger ties with Russia.
November
30: Anti-government protesters are
violently put down by riot police in Kiev (Ukraine’s capital).
December 17: Russia agrees to bring
down the price of gas sold to Ukraine and to buy $15 billion in Ukrainian
government bonds.
January 22, 2014: Ukraine
President Viktor Yanukovych wants to align with Russia instead of with the EU. Anti
government protesters throughout the Ukraine decide they will not stop until
the president steps down. The violence spreads from Kiev to other cities in the
country and two protesters die from police clashes in Kiev.
January
25: Ukrainian opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk rejected President
Yanukovych’s offer to appoint him as prime minister and says protests will
continue.
January
31 to February 2: Ukraine was one of the main topics at a security summit in
Munich. Opinions went flying between the United States, the EU, and Russia on
what Ukraine’s options are in order to end the violence.
The
European Council stated that the offer for Ukraine to attain closer ties with
the EU still stands. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry backed Ukrainians in
their efforts to establish freedom and a more democratic government. Russian
foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western countries of setting a double
standard because he does not understand how violent protests and attacks on
police help in promoting democracy.
Why
you should care: Ukrainians are fighting to kick out a government they believe
to be corrupt and insensitive to the wishes of the people. By coming together,
the people are showing that the unity of the people can create power by numbers.
Events occuring now: Protest leaders are trying to change the constitution in order
to curb President Yanukovych’s power and some politicians have warned of an
impending civil war.
Protesters
have been kidnapped, brutally beaten, and left for dead in the forest. Many protesters
claim the victimizers are acting through approval of state. The Government, in
counter to such allegations, denies these accusations and suggests that the protesters
have staged attacks in order to cause a larger uproar in the protesters.
Protesters
are taking over and have specifically attacked buildings that have police
forces inside. The police have tried to defend themselves, but they have either
retreated or made negotiations in order to avoid casualties on both sides.
