After two months of protests in Ukraine, the first reports of casualties stemming from clashes between police and protesters came to light Wednesday.
Differing reports count anywhere between two and four casualties due to the violence that has also injured hundreds. (Via USAToday, Los Angeles Times)
CNN counts four deaths, citing information from the head of the protest movement’s volunteer medical service. He claims all four had been shot dead.
But whether those dead were killed by police remains unclear.
According to the New York Times, which reports two shooting deaths, the circumstances remained “murky, with protesters saying the men had been killed by the police. The authorities confirmed that two young men had died of gunshot wounds, and said the deaths were under investigation.”
Other sources report another man allegedly fell to his death while being chased by police.
The latest violent clashes broke out Wednesday when police reportedly attempted to break up a protest camp in downtown Kiev. (Via The Telegraph)
That led to three hours of talks between opposition leaders, including UDAR party leader and former boxing champ Vitali Klitschko, and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych — though the talks appear to have been unproductive. (Via Wikimedia Commons / CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion, Wikimedia Commons / Wilson Dias / Agencia Brasil)
BBC reports, Klitschko told protesters: "We must do all we can to stop them clearing us out. Tomorrow, if the president does not respond... then we will go on the attack"
Protesters reportedly threw Molotov cocktails as black smoke from burning tires blanketed the city. The violence began after strict new anti-protest laws were passed by the country's parliament. (Via RT)
The international community is starting to let Ukraine know what it thinks of the situation. The World Economic Forum rescinded an invite to the Ukranian Prime Minister to address the forum at Davos, Switzerland this week. (Via Buzzfeed)
Meanwhile the United States revoked the visas of several Ukrainian officials. (Via NBC)
