Ukraine unrest: Clashes in central Kiev

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26269221

Key Points

Anti-government protesters clash again with police in Kiev, with at least 21 people killed, many of them reportedly by snipers
Ukraine's health ministry says 75 people have been killed since violence erupted in Kiev on 18 February
Ukrainian MPs have passed a motion ordering both sides to cease fire, but it has yet to be signed by the parliamentary speaker
EU foreign ministers have agreed to impose sanctions on Ukrainian officials "responsible for violence and excessive force"
French, Polish and German foreign ministers have been conducting talks with both sides in Kiev
The clashes come after bloodshed earlier in the week and despite a truce agreed on Wednesday between the president and opposition leaders
President Viktor Yanukovych blames the opposition for resuming the violence. All times GMT

Live nowUkraine protests: Reports and reaction

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Reporters: Sarah Fowler, Jeremy Gahagan and Yaroslav Lukov

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00:24:

Anti-government demonstrators at the Maidan allow the captured interior troops (see 23:43 entry) to leave the main protest camp.
00:22:

US Vice President Joe Biden warns President Yanukovych that Washington is ready to impose sanctions against Ukrainian officials guilty of ordering troops to fire on protesters.
00:18:

Players of Dynamo Kiev football club - and two other Ukrainian teams involved in Thursday's Europa League matches - held a minute's silence before the kick-off to honour those who died in the clashes. The athletes also wore black armbands.
00:10:

Kharkiv governor Mykhailo Dobkin tweets that the anti-Maidan "Ukrainian Front" group is organising a meeting of deputies from the country's south-eastern regions in the city on 22 February.
23:51:

Meanwhile, other activists are manning the barricades on the Maidan perimeter as the tense stand-off continues well into the night.
23:43:

Protesters are now discussing whether to allow a bus with interior troops - who were captured earlier - to leave the Maidan. Many activists are angry, saying the soldiers should be exchanged for detained demonstrators.
23:41:

Raising pressure on President Yanukovych to restore order, Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said earlier that Moscow would not hand another desperately needed loan to Kiev's leadership that let opponents walk over it "like a doormat".
23:37:

Kiev's Ukraina Hotel, where many foreign correspondents are based, has been transformed into a makeshift hospital for wounded protesters. Medic Olga Bogolomets says many of the victims were hit directly in the heart, the neck or the lungs and doctors had "no chance of saving their lives".
Liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt

tweets: Just learned about majority in Ukrainian parliam in favor of withdrawal of riot police #kyiv. This would mean end of roadblocks. #euromaidan
23:17:

Anti-government protesters have toppled a statue of Lenin in the northern city of Zhytomyr.
23:17:

Ukraine's media are quoting activist Tetyana Pechonchyk as saying the bodies of 58 of the victims - including 10 policemen and a journalist - have been identified. It was not immediately clear when the deaths occurred.
23:02:

The parliament of Ukraine's autonomous Republic of Crimea is to hold an emergency session on Friday, reports say. The parliament's speaker earlier hinted the territory's status could be changed if the situation deteriorated further.
23:01:

A number of MPs from the pro-presidential Party of Regions have flown out of Kiev on Thursday, reports say.
22:43:

Earlier, President Yanukovych (second left) met foreign ministers from France, Germany and Poland to discuss a possible roadmap to end the crisis in Ukraine. The three EU ministers later decided to extend their stay in Kiev until Friday.
Duncan Crawford, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: Day of terrible violence. #Ukraine health ministry says 75 killed since 18 Feb. 571 injured. Protesters angrier and more militant than before
22:27:

All of today's deaths have occurred despite it being an official day of mourning for those killed earlier this week.
22:26:

In Kiev's Independence Square, protesters hold night-time prayers for the dozens of people killed over the last three days. There are fears the official death toll of 75 could rise further.
Myrosia Matwijiwskyj, London

tweets: People in #Zhytomyr #Ukraine are attempting to topple the statue of #Lenin. Слава Україні! #euromaidan #євромайдан
22:19:

Karmanau continues: "People were gathering around the dead, many of them weeping. Some covered the bodies with Ukrainian flags, others brought Orthodox icons. A priest conducted a remembrance service. I felt a bit sick. Many of the victims were only in their 30s and 40s, full of energy just a few hours ago."
22:18:

Associated Press journalist Yuras Karmanau describes the carnage in Kiev: "When I walked out into the Maidan, clad in a helmet and a flak jacket, I saw bodies lying on the pavement. Ten in one place, another six a short walk away, five more farther away. The demonstrators were killed with precise shots to their heads or necks, the hallmarks of snipers."
22:15:

A medic at one of Kiev's morgues says 10 out of 11 protesters brought in had received gunshot wounds to the head, Ukraine's Hromadske TV reports.
22:10:

Ukraine's parliament also voted this evening to meet continuously until the political crisis is over.
22:06:

Opposition MPs celebrate the passing of a resolution urging the authorities to desist from shooting and withdraw police forces and the army from Kiev. Dozens of members of President Yanukovych's Party of the Regions also backed the resolution.
22:04:

If you are still wondering what triggered the unrest in Ukraine and who are behind the protests, take a look at our explainer for answers: Q&A: Why is Ukraine in turmoil?
21:49:

Opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Oleg Tiahnybok describe today's parliamentary vote to withhold fire as the most important decision taken by lawmakers, Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda news website reports. However, the resolution still needs to be signed by the speaker to become law.
GermanForeignOffice

The German Foreign Office tweets: In phone call,Chllr #Merkel just informed @BarackObama & #Putin abt mediation of EU FMs #Steinmeier @LaurentFabius @sikorskiradek
21:30:

Several dead bodies of protesters killed on Thursday were brought to the Maidan (Kiev's Independence Square), as crowds shouted "martyrs!" and "heroes!", the BBC's Duncan Crawford in Kiev reports. Some people were crying.
21:21:

Death toll update: 75 people have been killed and 571 others injured since the violence flared up in Kiev on 18 February, Ukraine's health ministry says in a statement (in Ukrainian).
Naomi Burt, London

emails: My husband's family live in the city of Chernihiv, in the north west of Ukraine. We have spoken with his sister who has told us that all the banks are now closed and that nobody can get any money out of the cash machines. This is a very serious situation as most people don't get paid enough to live on anyway, but now the whole country has had their money frozen all of a sudden. How are people supposed to live?
21:10:

This photo, from earlier today, shows an activist watching out for a sniper over a burning barricade in Independence Square. The death toll from today's fighting remains unclear, however, eyewitnesses have told reporters that they had counted between 21 and 27 protesters' bodies. Officials say 67 people have died in total since Tuesday.
20:59:

In neighbouring Poland, a protester outside the Ukrainian embassy holds a Ukrainian flag daubed with red paint representing blood.
20:58:

Opposition MP Vyacheslav Kyrylenko has told parliament that one person died and 10 others were wounded after police opened fire at demonstrators in the central city of Cherkasy - via BBC Monitoring.
20:44:

Anti-government protesters continue to stand in line in Independence Square as night sets in.
Christopher Miller, Editor at @KyivPost

tweets: 34 MPs from President #Yanukovych's ruling Party of Regions voted alongside the opposition for the resolution passed tonight in parliament.
Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minister

tweets (in French) that he has arrived at the president's office with fellow foreign ministers Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Radoslaw Sikorski for new discussions with President Yanukovych.
20:39:

France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius described the talks in Kiev as "very difficult", Reuters reports
Roland Oliphant, Daily Telegraph Moscow Correspondent

tweets: Lots of rumours about ministers, parliamentary speaker, Yanukovych family members flying out of Ukraine. Unconfirmed.
20:31:

More from parliament - 239 out of 450 Ukrainian MPs are present in the hall, most of them representing opposition parties. The MPs sang the national anthem after passing the resolution, BBC Monitoring observes.
20:28:

MPs assembled in the Ukrainian parliament have voted to condemn the recent violence, ban the use of weapons against protesters, withdraw troops and the police deployed against them - via our colleagues at BBC Monitoring, who are following the parliamentary proceedings relayed live on Ukraine's ICTV.
German Foreign Office

tweets: #Ukraine: The 3 EU-FMs talk to the press after meeting with opposition leaders @Klitschko @Yatsenyuk_AP #Tyahnybok
20:18:

An image of central Kiev on Thursday evening shows tents and barricades occupied by anti-government protesters:
20:12:

President Obama and Chancellor Merkel agreed in their phone call "that it is critical that the United States, Germany and the European Union continue to stay in close touch in the days ahead", the White House said in a statement.
20:04:

The Ukrainian interior ministry says in a statement (in Ukrainian) that security services used weapons to allow unarmed policemen to retreat after they were attacked by "snipers and radical participants in the mass unrest".
20:02:

Video: Ukrainian MPs brawl in the country's parliament.
20:00:

Opposition supporters in Kiev light candles to remember protesters who have died in clashes.
Kevin Bishop BBC News in Kiev

tweets: Medics take a break to watch news in #Kiev hotel that has become a field hospital
Radoslaw Sikorski, Polish Foreign Minister

tweets: After talks with the Opposition, on the way back to the President to help negotiations. Progress made but important differences remain.
19:48:

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has telephoned Presidents Obama and Putin to discuss Ukraine and update them on the ongoing mission of the German, French and Polish foreign ministers in Kiev, the German government says.
Mrs Merkel and the presidents were in agreement that a political solution to the crisis must be found as soon as possible and that the bloodshed must stop, her spokesman said in a statement.
19:36:

Maksym Shcherbyna, a journalist in the eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhya, tells the BBC that up to 1,000 opposition supporters have held a peaceful rally there. Ukraine's east is traditionally more supportive of the Yanukovych administration and closer ties with Russia.
19:35:

The deputy police chief of the central Ukrainian city of Cherkasy has appeared at a protest rally to say that the "police are with the people" and call for restraint, Unian news agency reports. Volodymyr Ivashchenko also said police will "stay away from political games" and work together with members of the public to ensure security in Cherkasy.
19:20:

No agreements have yet been reached to resolve the crisis, boxer turned opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko has said after talks with the French, German and Polish foreign ministers, according to Interfax-Ukraine. "Whether any decisions will be taken depends on the president," he said, adding that talks will continue.
Steve Rosenberg, BBC correspondent in Kiev

tweets: This was supposed to be a day of mourning in Ukraine. It turned into a day for counting new victims.
19:02:

More from the UK's William Hague on the sanctions: "The scale of the implementation will depend on developments to come and of course we want to see success in Government and opposition working together in order to bring about a peaceful situation and a peaceful and democratic settlement of the issues in Ukraine."
18:55:

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague voices some strong words about the situation in Ukraine, explaining the EU's decision to impose sanctions. "There is widespread horror in the European Union as well as in the United Kingdom at the scale of the loss of innocent life and the events of the last 48 hours," he said.
Steve Rosenberg, BBC correspondent in Kiev

tweets: Armed protestors (pistols, crowbars and baseball bats) are searching rooms in our hotel, looking for snipers
Yuri Bender, London

tweets: #Ukraine: @sosmaydan calling for a badly needed bus to take troop of doctors from #Lviv to #Kyiv to treat wounded
18:51:

Three European foreign ministers who met President Yanukovych on Thursday say they have found a willingness to call early elections to resolve the three-months long crisis, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk tells reporters. "A willingness for early elections, already this year, parliamentary as well as presidential, was agreed," Tusk said, quoted by Reuters.
Foreign ministers from Poland, France and Germany have spent the day talking to both sides about a possible roadmap leading to a peaceful solution.
Duncan Crawford, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: A bloody day of violence again in #Kiev. Floor of the Hotel #Ukraine is being cleaned up.
18:36:

The EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, says the "prime responsibility" to get the two sides talking lay with the the president.
She said: "When I met with President Yanukovych I made the point that in any situation a government must be the prime responsible body to ensure people are safe. It is the first job of any government to keep your people safe and if they're not safe you have to act to ensure that they are."
18:31:

To recap, European Union foreign ministers earlier agreed to impose sanctions on Ukrainian officials "responsible for violence and excessive force" at an emergency EU meeting in Brussels. The sanctions will include asset freezes and travel bans, says Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.
EB, East Grinstead, UK

Emails: My mother, father and brother aged 13 are currently living in Kiev near to where all this is going on. They are mortified that the police are doing this to their own people. My mother regularly took food down to the protesters where she found them welcoming, friendly and grateful for her efforts.
18:18:

The protests have not just been confined to Kiev, with clashes between anti-government demonstrators and police reported in several major cities and towns across Ukraine since Tuesday. Take a look at how the unrest has spread both east and west here.
BBC Correspondent Daniel Sandford

tweets: They are bringing the bodies out of my hotel
An activist carries a tyre near burning barricades at the epicentre of protests in central Kiev as night draws in.
Duncan Crawford, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: "Big thank you to star BBC cameraman Delimir Babic for filming in some tough conditions. Here he is in action."
18:10:

A minute's silence was held at the start of the Europa League match between Dnipro and Tottenham which kicked off this evening in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk. Both teams are wearing black armbands "as a mark of respect to those who have lost their lives" in the Ukrainian unrest, a statement on Tottenham's official website read. Some Dnipro supporters have decided to boycott the game in protest against the violence, our BBC Sport colleagues say.
17:55:

We've created this picture gallery showing a selection of the most striking images from today's fighting.
Carl Bildt, Swedish foreign minister

tweets: EU decides as a matter of urgency on asset freeze and visa ban on those responsible for violence and excessive force in Kiev.
17:48:

Protesters have taken advantage of the lull in the fighting and used the opportunity to clear debris from parts of Independence Square.
17:43:

Unconfirmed reports that some of the top officials and their families have been leaving Kiev. Journalist Hanna Babynets from independent Hromadske TV reported this from Kiev's Zhulyany Airport: "Three planes have taken off in the past five minutes. It's very likely that they are carrying cash: suitcases have been unloaded under guard from armoured vans usually used to transport cash... scheduled flights have been suspended, the airport administration says."
17:35: Kevin Bishop, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: "View from behind reception at Hotel #Ukraine. Quiet determination to carry on as medics attend to wounded."
17:30:

More from Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino - she says that sanctions against certain Ukrainian officials will be imposed "very rapidly in the next hours".
17:21:

BBC Monitoring reports that at least four MPs from the ruling Party of Regions have left the party today.
Kateryna Kruk, journalist in Kiev

tweets: "There was some fight in parliament among deputies." She adds that it was started by an MP from the ruling party who wanted to leave the main hall.
17:13:

No more talks with President Yanukovych, says his jailed arch-rival and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in a statement published on her party's website. "I demand that the opposition never sit down at the negotiating table with Yanukovych. Any of us who breaks this taboo will become Yanukovych's accomplice in killing innocent people."
17:09:

The interior ministry says that 13 police have been killed since 18 February, with 565 needing medical attention including 410 admitted to hospital - Interfax news agency via BBC Monitoring.
Sergey Bubka

President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine tweets: I share the common view that athletes who are representing Ukraine are promoting the mission to unite our nation at this horrifying time.
17:00: Breaking News

EU foreign ministers have agreed to move ahead with imposing sanctions including visa bans and asset freezes on those responsible for the violence in Ukraine, Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino has confirmed. "The decision is to proceed very rapidly, in the next hours, to a visa ban and asset freeze on those who have committed the violence," she said.
16:56:

The confrontation has been exhausting for security forces too. Here they carry mattresses to their position outside the Ukrainian parliament, the Rada.
Kateryna_Kruk

tweets: "Subway in #Kyiv has started to work again, thank God, that will be a significant help for Maidan (anti-government movement)"
16:50:

One of Ukraine's opposition leaders, Arseny Yatsenyuk, speaks to deputies during a Parliament session in Kiev. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland are due to meet other opposition leaders today to try to thrash out a solution.
The Guardian's Ian Traynor

tweets: #ukraine carrying out the dead in hotel ukraina. priest. lament. people on knees weeping and praying. floor smeared with blood
16:41:

Chatham House's Orysia Lutsevych has also written this piece on why Ukraine's powerful oligarchs could turn out to be the weak point in President Yanukovych's armour.
16:33:

TV crews and amateur video have captured some of the dramatic scenes in Ukraine as parts of the country descend into violent turmoil. The BBC has selected 10 key moments.
Telegraph's Roland Oliphant

tweets: Current situation: quiet. Govt forces presumably regrouping around parliament. Protesters control all ground lost since Tuesday.
16:31:

Amnesty International releases a report calling on the international community to "suspend transfers to Ukraine of munitions, weapons, and related equipment including crowd control weapons... that pose a significant risk of being misused by security forces.. until effective effective mechanisms are in place to ensure that such items will not be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights law".
16:29: Maryan, Kiev

emails: Kiev is in full panic mode. No cash in ATMs. Huge lines for gas and food. Taxi fares rise threefold.
16:15:

Here's the full statement from the White House: "We are outraged by the images of Ukrainian security forces firing automatic weapons on their own people. We urge President Yanukovych to immediately withdraw his security forces from downtown Kiev and to respect the right of peaceful protest, and we urge protesters to express themselves peacefully. We urge the Ukrainian military not to get involved in a conflict that can and should be resolved by political means. The use of force will not resolve the crisis - clear steps must be taken to stop the violence and initiate meaningful dialogue that reduces tension and addresses the grievances of the Ukrainian people. The United States will work with our European allies to hold those responsible for violence accountable and to help the Ukrainian people get a unified and independent Ukraine back on the path to a better future."
16:12:

"US will work with European allies to hold accountable those responsible for Ukraine violence" - White House statement.
16:09: Breaking News

White House urges Ukraine's president to immediately withdraw security forces from downtown Kiev and to resolve crisis by political means.
16:05:

More on the decision of Kiev's acting mayor, Volodymyr Makeyenko, to leave President Yanukovych's Party of Regions: "I'm ready to do everything possible to stop fratricide and bloodshed in the heart of Ukraine, in Independence Square. Human life should have the highest value in our country and nothing can stand in the way of this principle," he said.
16:01:

BBC Monitoring have been following Ukrainian media closely throughout the day. They say Ukraine's main state-run TV channel UT1 appears to have changed its tone of coverage of the protests. It has shown a live relay from the main protest camp in Independence Square without the usual critical commentary. "This is something incredible! More and more people are arriving!" the channel's correspondent said in an unusual outburst.
15:57:

Parliament meeting opens in Kiev, Ukrayinska Pravda website reports. It is chaired by Deputy Speaker Ruslan Koshulynskyy from the opposition Freedom party. Some 227 out of 450 MPs are said to be present, most of them from opposition factions.
15:53:

A top medic from the protesters' side says that at least 70 activists have been killed in Kiev on Thursday, AP reports.
15:52:

In Rivne, north-eastern Ukraine, the regional council has voted to strip the government-appointed regional administration of all its powers. "We have assumed responsibility for running Rivne Region," council chairman Mykhaylo Kyrylov says - UNIAN news agency via BBC Monitoring.
15:51:

The actual number of fatalities may be much higher than 50 people, Ombudsman Valeriya Lutkovskathe has been quoted by the UNIAN news agency as saying. "Hundreds of people have been hospitalized," she said in a statement.
15:46:

The BBC's Duncan Crawford in Kiev has just tweeted a collection of images from today's clashes. See them here:
15:45:

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski tweets: "Embassy in Kiev, about to start a meeting with the opposition so as to test proposed agreement. Rumours of shocking numbers of casualties."
15:40:

Kiev metro starts running again after being suspended on Tuesday - but key stations in central Kiev remain closed, Ukrainian Twitter users and a private TV channel report.
15:32:

The French and Polish foreign ministers have tweeted that they have finished their meeting with President Yanukovych and are going to have another meeting with the opposition to test a proposed agreement. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabuius tweeted that their discussion with the president lasted five hours.
15:32:

More reports on queues forming for petrol in different parts of Ukraine. The BBC's Aleksey Kerim sent in this picture from Vyshneve, near Kiev.
15:28:

More details of the Kremlin sending a representative to Ukraine to act as a mediator. AFP reports that the move followed talks between President Yanukovych and President Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov is quoted as telling Russian news agencies that "President Putin has decided to charge (the human rights ombudsman and former ambassador to the US) Vladimir Lukin with this mission".
15:27:

Supporters of FC Dnipro say they will boycott tonight's Europa League game against Tottenham Hotspur in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk. A representative of the Dnipro fan movement, Yevhen Pereverzev, told local website 34.ua: "We can't be watching football when something like this is going on in our country, when people are getting killed." - via BBC Monitoring
15:20:

The fighting seems to have abated somewhat from this morning. The BBC's Duncan Crawford in Kiev says the city is now relatively calm, but there is a fear of more violence.
15:17:

The carnage appears to show that neither President Yanukovych nor the opposition leaders appear to be in control of the chaos engulfing Ukraine, an AP commentary says. "In addition," it says, "neither side appears willing to compromise."
15:13:

"The (EU) foreign ministers have emerged looking gloomy from the meeting President Yanukovych and left without saying a word to journalists. It's a bad sign," tweets journalist Pavel Sheremet.
15:12:

Several arson attacks were carried out in the early hours of Thursday in the city of Lviv, with Mayor Andriy Sadovyi saying that there are attempts to destabilise the city, BBC Monitoring reports. Lviv is a hotspot of anti-government protest.
15:08:

A Russian former MP with President Putin's party, Sergei Markov, tells BBC Newshour that reports police snipers are firing on protesters in Ukraine are "100% a lie". He said the country was witnessing a coup, and that the President Yanukovych had no option but to use force. "We should understand that this coup d'etat is at the peak of its development. Either a democratically elected president, Viktor Yanukovych, will use force to stop a coup d'etat, or he will step down, and the coup will win."
15:07:

The talks of Polish, German and French foreign ministers with Ukraine's president have ended, Polish foreign ministry spokesman tells Reuters.
15:04:

Diplomats tell AFP that the three EU foreign ministers will communicate by phone or video link to their 24 counterparts on the progress of their crisis talks.
15:01:

Video footage shows protesters apparently leading captured policemen around the sprawling protest camp in central Kiev, AP reports.
14:58:

EU foreign ministers see a chance for compromise between the government and protesters, an EU source close to the meetings between them and the Ukrainian authorities tells Reuters.
14:58: Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: "Protesters telling us they took 30 police captive this morning. Others said to have surrendered. Not clear where they are now."
14:53:

German, French and Polish foreign ministers are no longer expected in Brussels for an EU meeting as talks in Ukraine continue, diplomatic sources tell Reuters.
14:54:

The interior ministry says that 67 police have been captured by protesters in Kiev and to free them police "have the right to use all means allowed by law including weapons" - via BBC Monitoring.
14:50:

Kommersant newspaper correspondent in Kiev Serhiy Sydorenko says that a call for compromise with protesters on the foreign ministry's Facebook page is a "mutiny" by diplomats and the statement has not been agreed with the foreign minister.
14:48:

Social media users outside Kiev have been posting pictures of what they say are military transport planes preparing to land at Hostomel airfield outside the Ukrainian capital. Eyewitnesses tell the BBC they have also seen the planes - via BBC Monitoring.
14:45:

The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Kiev says this image shows thirteen dead bodies in his hotel (Warning: Graphic)
14:43:

The foreign ministry's Facebook page carries this statement by Ukrainian diplomats: "The time has come for a compromise. We call on all sides to do all they can to stop the bloodshed in our country. At this time of crisis, let us recall that common human European values are what unites all Ukrainian citizens. Therefore, we are convinced that signing an association agreement with the EU - support for which started the Euro Maidan (protest movement) - can unite all of us."
14:40:

The Kremlin is sending a representative to Ukraine to act as a mediator, AFP reports
14:37:

Police say that the decision to use live fire was taken in self-defence. "For the purpose of preserving the lives and wellbeing of law enforcement officials, a decision was taken... To use weapons in self defence," the interior ministry is quoted by AFP as saying.
14:35:

AP describes the latest violence as an "almost-medieval melee" in which "protesters were cut down by gunfire".... In "an epic battle" over the identity of the country.
14:29:

Britain has warned there must be an "international response" to the violence. Foreign Secretary William Hague says that there has to be an "immediate and far-reaching change" in the attitude of the authorities in Kiev following the latest clashes.
Kal, Sevastopol

emails: Banking system on the verge of collapse, queues of hundreds of people desperately trying to withdraw money but nothing given.
14:27:

The chaos in Kiev is being felt by neighbouring currencies too, Reuters says. Poland's zloty has fallen by half a percent against the euro, while Hungary and Romania have seen similar drops. In addition Russia's rouble has hit an all-time low against the euro. It stands to lose $30bn should Ukraine default. "The worry now is contagion, as investors run for the hills," IG market analyst Brenda Kelly tells Reuters.
14:22:

As the death toll mounts, so does the risk to Ukraine's economy, Reuters TV reports. The escalating violence in Kiev has weakened an already fragile currency - now flirting with its lowest levels in five years. Rabobank's Christian Lawrence tells Reuters TV that a devaluation may not be far away.
14:16:

More on Acting Interior Minister Zakharchenko's decision to allow police to use firearms. "I signed an order and police have been given combat weapons, which will be used in accordance with the law," he says in a statement published on the ministry website, Reuters reports.
14:13:

Ivano-Frankivsk regional council in western Ukraine passes a vote of no-confidence in President Yanukovych designating him an "illegitimate head of state", the UNIAN news agency reports.
14:09:

Acting Interior MInister Zakharchenko issues statement blaming unrest "solely on opposition leaders and radicals".
14:08:

A session of the Ukrainian parliament appears to be under way, according to footage broadcast by Espresso TV - via BBC Monitoring
14:00: Duncan Crawford, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: "Independence Square now. No smoke. No riot police. Protesters again building barricades. #Kiev #Ukraine"
13:53:

BREAKING: Ukrainian police given firearms and will use them in accordance with the law, says Acting Interior Minister of Ukraine Vitaliy Zakharchenko, according to Reuters.
13:47: BBC Correspondent Norman Smith

again tweets to say: "Govt sources say possible sanctions against #Ukraine cd involve travel bans, asset freezes and measures that wd effect regime officials."
13:46:

Protesters scale a statue in Independence Square
13:44: BBC News Channel chief political correspondent, Norman Smith

tweets: "UK Govt will not block EU sanctions against #Ukraine says FO minister David Liddington #wato"
13:36:

Councillors in Ukraine's western Transcarpathia Region have voted to declare the region "free of Yanukovych rule" - UNIAN news agency via BBC Monitoring.
13:33:

Irena Taranyuk from the BBC's Ukrainian Service says the authorities have "lost control" of the west of the country.
"Local protestors have not only taken control of local authorities but they have torched security services headquarters," she told the BBC World Service's Newshour programme.
13:32:

Trains running from opposition-minded western Ukraine to Kiev are either badly delayed or cancelled - due urgent engineering works, says Ukraine's state-owned railway operator Ukrzaliznytsya.
Unconfirmed reports also say extra train services are being put in place to bring government supporters to Kiev from the country's Russian-speaking east - BBC Monitoring.
13:29: Igor, Kiev

emails: Everyone has a right to protest, but nobody has a right to destroy a beautiful city, and hold the same city and its population hostage to political demands by violent means.
13:28: Minister for Europe, David Lidington,

expressed extreme concern over the reports of further violence and deaths, Reuters say.
Commenting on reports that witnesses had seen snipers firing live ammunition during the clashes, Lidington told the BBC he had raised the issue with the ambassador, who had not been able to give a "definitive view".
He said: "There should be a full and independent thorough investigation of those killings.
"The people responsible for those shootings need to be held to account, wherever they come from."
13:23:

Anti-government protesters fill bags to build new barricades after clashes with riot police in Independence Square in Kiev.
13:21:

Protesters have blocked three of the seven crossing points for vehicles on the Polish border - the largest part of Ukraine's border with the EU, the UNIAN news agency says.
13:19: BBC Correspondent Norman Smith

Downing Street say the PM hopes to speak to other key EU leaders later today about the violence in Ukraine. Sources say the PM is increasingly concerned by the deterioration on the ground. Among those the PM is hoping to talk to are the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
13:15: Gabriel Gatehouse, BBC News in Kiev

tweets: "8 dead bodies laid out on the street. Men, women crying. This country is in shock"
13:15:

Picture shows anti-government protesters detaining a wounded policeman in Kiev, Ukraine.
13:13:

Protesters fire a makeshift weapon in Kiev
Alan Ferris, Hertfordshire

emails: Everybody is condemning the state violence, but why is nobody condemning the violence from protesters who have shot police and have been for weeks petrol bombing police? This was never a peaceful demonstration but always has been violent, what else can the state do but take action?
13:12:

Ukraine journalist Maxim Eristavi tells BBC World News: "The number of dead is just astonishing.
"They think the number of killed people is higher than estimates. They think it's closer to 50."
He said there were "a couple of videos circulating online" showing protestors as "victims of sniper fire."
13:07:

Anti-government protesters pass bricks to each other as they build new barricades after clashes with riot police in Independence Square in Kiev today.
13:04: Marco, Kiev

emails: Long lines have been forming in Kiev at petrol stations amid rumours that Fuel Trucks have been banned from entering Kiev, taxis doubling prices, Metro still closed.
13:00:

The European Union is set to back sanctions on those responsible for violence in Ukraine, as well as to impose an arms embargo on the country, according to a draft text of an EU ministerial statement obtained by news agency Reuters.
However Reuters also said that EU officials warned that the text is subject to revisions, and the final decision will be taken by EU foreign ministers due to meet in Brussels later today.
12:59:

Ukrainian Cossacks play drums on Kiev's, Independence Square, today.
12:56:

More on the the message from German Chancellor Angela Merkel who had a telephone call with Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovich, Reuters say.
She is reported to have urged Yanukovich to accept an offer from the European Union, Germany and other partners to support talks between the Kiev government and opposition.
12:49:

Bogdana Matsotska, the Ukrainian skier who has pulled out of Sochi Olympics, tells the BBC's Newshour programme: "It's a difficult situation in Ukraine when, when people died and they are my friends, my family, and I cannot race in this situation….It's like a protest.
"The first rule of Olympic games is peace, and now our President just decided to do this really bad thing to citizens of my country and I cannot have a good race in this situation".
Full interview on Newshour on BBC World Service at 1335 and 1435 GMT.
12:46:

"The armour-piercing ammunition used by snipers' "fells protesters one after another", says journalist Dmitriy Steshit, who works for Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. He tweets from Institutska Street in central Kiev.
12:44:

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel tells Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych that "playing for time will heat up the conflict and is risky", Reuters say.
12:42:

The three EU Foreign Ministers from Germany, Poland and France have been meeting with President Yanukovych from 0900 GMT for about two hours. They stopped for a break - and are expected to resume in the next few minutes, the BBC's Europe producer Piers Scholfield says.
12:38:

In a televised statement Interior Ministry spokesman Valeri Mazan denounces the protesters: "Today, despite it being the day of mourning, despite the truce, they fire at riot police and internal military forces, targeting them with weapons since the early morning on Instytutska street. At this moment there are more than 20 injured police officers who have been taken to hospital for medical treatment."
12:31:

An Orthodox priest walks under fire during clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police in central Kiev.
12:29:

This shot captures a protester amid today's violence in Kiev, Ukraine.
12:24:

At least 54 people have been killed since the start of the week, the AFP new agency says, citing its own casualty count and figures provided by the health ministry.
12:22: Erin Alexis

tweets: Situation in #Ukraine horrifying. Reports of #doctors being shot by snipers as they care for the wounded. Terrible.
12:21:
In opposition leader Klitschko's recent YouTube video he goes on to say that the following instructions need to happen:
- Members of parliament must meet at 1300 GMT to urgently approve decisions on ending the crisis.
- President Yanukovych must call an early presidential election. This is the only end to stop violence now.
- Every citizen he said should join forces with their neighbours and friends to defend their lives, health and property.
He said: "Together, all of us have a duty to stop bloodshed."
12:15:

Thursday's 22 deaths have brought the number of people killed in Kiev this week to at least 50, with hundreds injured, AP says.
12:15:

BREAKING: Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko has issued a statement via social networking site YouTube.
He says: "Esteemed Ukrainians today is the decisive day. Bloodshed continues. The government has resorted to bloody provocations in front of the whole world's eyes.
"Armed thugs have been let loose in the streets to attack people and create an illusion that there is a confrontation between citizens. But these plans are doomed. "
Watch video here
12:07:

Death toll today is now at 22 people, AP news agency reports.
12:03:

Anti-government protesters stick together and walk in line after clashes with riot police in the Independence Square in Kiev - picture taken today.
12:01:

About 50 opposition activists are blocking the tracks in front of a train carrying paratroopers from Dnepropetrovsk to Kiev, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reports, quoting a head of a local branch of the opposition Fatherland party. The 10-carriage train carrying 500 servicemen is being held up at a small station outside Dnepropetrovsk, in eastern Ukraine.
12:00:

More reaction from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: Ukrainian "extremists and hardliners are seeking to spark a civil war".
11:58:

BBC correspondent Gabriel Gatehouse : "Protesters have taken back ground they lost. Both sides likely using live ammo. Quiet-ish at the moment. But unlikely police won't respond."
11:56:

Jacek Protasiewicz, in charge of the European Parliament's relationship with Ukraine, tells the BBC that Ukrainian government is "panicky, really afraid... (and) may be ready to compromise."
11:56:

Kiev city administration chief Volodymyr Makeyenko has issued this statement:
He said: "I am addressing you personally, Mr President, and leaders of security services. Events in Kiev today are a tragedy for the Ukrainian people.
"I am ready to do all I can to put an end to the killing of brothers and bloodshed at the heart of Ukraine, Independence Square... To confirm this, and take personal responsibility for Kiev's functioning."
11:52:

More scenes of violence continue to flood in from Kiev's Independence Square in Ukraine, as the death toll rises, violence continues, and truce talks fail.
11:49:

News from the west of Ukraine: Kanal 5 TV has shown footage of the governor of the Ukraine city of Chernivtsi, Mykhailo Papiyev, being surrounded by angry protesters shouting "people are dying" outside the seized regional administration building.
Mr Papiyev can be seen in the footage carrying a handwritten letter dated 19 February which reads: "Statement: I ask you to accept my resignation from the post of head of the Chernivtsi regional state administration".
11:46:

BREAKING: Britain has summoned Ukraine's ambassador to London on Thursday after violent clashes in Kiev killed at least 21 civilians today, Reuters say.
"We are calling in the ambassador and calling on him to stop the violence," said a foreign ministry spokeswoman.
11:42:

Read the BBC's special report on Ukraine
11:25:

An anti-government protester, wearing a face mask, carries tyres through the rubble after violence erupted in the Independence Square today.
11:34:

Protesters erect new barricades in Kiev's Independence Square today, following a renewed surge against police.
11:31:

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry and the Kiev city state administration urge people not to travel to the centre of the city for security reasons, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
11:31:

The lobby of the Ukraina hotel - overlooking Independence Square - has been turned into an impromptu morgue, AP reports, with the bodies of seven dead protesters laying side by side under white sheets on the marble floor in front of the reception desk.
11:30:

Ukraine politician Volodymyr Makeyenko - the Kiev city administration chief - quits ruling Party of Regions, and orders metro to start operating again (it was suspended on Tuesday) - Interfax-Ukraine says.
11:21:

One of the three top opposition leaders in Ukraine - Arseniy Yatsenyuk - says snipers are firing at protesters from the Ukraina hotel, which dominates Independence Square.
"I demand that the president order the arrest of those security officials who gave the order to fire at people. I demand that shooting at peaceful demonstrators stop," Yatsenyuk says in a statement - Interfax-Ukraine
11:21:

Russian Foreign Ministry says threats of sanctions are inappropriate and will only aggravate confrontation, Reuters have reported.
11:18:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has likened the threat of sanctions against Ukraine as akin to blackmail, Reuters reports.
11:15:

Opposition assurances that a truce is needed are "only a manoeuvre to play for time" in order to arm militants on Independence Square, President Yanukovych's office is reported by 5 Kanal TV to have said. Presidential aides have accused opposition "radicals" of beginning an assault on law-enforcers despite the declaration of truce. They say that police are using "only non-lethal weapons".
11:14:

BREAKING: There have been calls for an emergency parliament meeting at 1300 GMT today, backed by the opposition and at least 10 pro-government MPs, who say presidential powers should be curbed - BBC Monitoring via Interfax-Ukraine news agency
11:11: Michal, Prague, Czech Republic

emails: No more blood in Kiev! How long will EU representatives stay silent? God bless heroes from Maidan [Independence Square]. Today in the centre of Prague: demonstration in the support for EuroMaidan
11:02:

The Crimean parliamentary speaker says secession from Ukraine is possible: "There is a possibility that the country will fall apart. This is where the things are heading," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. Ethnic Russians still make up the bulk of the population in the Republic of Crimea, a part of Ukraine.
11:01:

Leaders of protesters' "self-defence units" put out a Facebook statement saying they "will do all they can to stop the bloodshed and guarantee top officials' security" if police stop firing, says BBC Monitoring's Vitaliy Shevchenko.
10:56:

Are you in Ukraine? Have you seen or taken part in any of the protests? Email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukwith the subject heading 'Ukraine'.
10:54:

US Ambassador to the Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt says the US visa bans on 20 individuals believed to be behind the violence "are reversible if there is political and economic progress".
10:51: Kateryna Kruk, The Guardian

tweets: "Snipers are shooting from from Hotel Ukraina and Instytutsjka, more dead around"
Duncan Crawford, BBC reporter in Kiev

tweets this picture of bullet holes in windows at the back of the hotel:

Bullet holes
10:44:

Thirteen of the protesters killed in Independence Square on Thursday morning died from single gunshot wounds fired by a sniper, a medic in Independence Square tells Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
10:41: Gocha Goguadze, Tbilisi & Georgia

emails: Our hearts and thoughts are with Ukraine and Ukrainians. We are sure that future of the Ukraine is as future of Georgia and Moldova who are in Europe. Putin and co must understand finally that we don't have any interest and wish go back to the USSR!
10:37:

One policeman is killed and 28 suffer gunshot wounds on Thursday, Interior Ministry spokesman Serhiy Burlakov tells the Associated Press.
10:35:

BBC Monitoring's Vitaliy Schevchenko says a key member of Ukraine's ruling party, Serhiy Tyhypko, has criticised both sides in the crisis. On his Facebook page Tyhypko says "the president, parliament speaker, acting prime minister and opposition leaders have totally lost control of the situation".
10:31: Andrew, Oxford

emails: I am receiving information all the time, from friends in Kiev... and talk about an east-west split is complete nonsense. I have friends from Lugansk and Rivne who are in Kiev. All of Ukraine is together, to fight for a common cause... to see an end to the dictatorship.
10:30:

"The resumption of clashes on the Maidan (Independence Square) at a time when a truce was called is a planned provocation by the authorities against peaceful protesters," said a joint opposition statement posted on the website of Vitali Klitschko.
10:25:

Ukrainian skier Bogdana Matsotska and her coach Oleg Matsotskiy, who is also her father, pull out of the Sochi Games in protest at the authorities deadly use of force, AFP reports.

Bogdana Matsotska
10:20:

Trains with "40 carriages of military servicemen" are moving towards Kiev from Kremenchuk, the Ukrayinska Pravda website reports.
10:17: Mustafa Nayyem, journalist in Kiev

tweets: this picture, allegedly of snipers.

Protesters have complained of snipers
10:13:

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslav Sikorski: "We've seen these horrific pictures from Kiev which are some of the largest uses of force in Europe in recent memory. "
10:10:

At least 21 civilians have been killed near Independence Square on Thursday, Reuters news agency - quoting eye witnesses - reports.
10:02:

More from President Viktor Yanukovich's statement: "They (the protesters) went on to the offensive. They are working in organised groups. They are using firearms, including sniper rifles. They are shooting to kill."
10:00: Maxim Tucker, Amnesty Intl

tweets: As people are being gunned down on the streets of #Kiev, the #EU is still talking about thinking about taking action. #Ukraine #euromaidan
09:59:

A statement from Ukraine's presidency via BBC Monitoring says: "The opposition leaders' calls for a truce and dialogue were nothing but a way for playing for time to mobilize and arm militants from Maidan [Independence Square]."
09:57:

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier - in Kiev - says that the violence has to stop: "We are very aware that this is a visit taking place at a difficult time for Ukraine. Of course we are not sure what we can achieve here, but I believe the pictures we've seen over the past few days made it clear that we cannot miss any opportunity to demand an end to the violence."
09:55:

Edward Lucas writes in a strongly worded comment piece for the Telegraph: "Ukrainians are fighting and dying for the right to be European. Theirs is not a naive belief in the EU's virtues, but a profound belief that liberty, legality and decency are better than crony capitalism and the neo-Soviet bombast of the Putin Kremlin."
09:50:

The EU foreign minister talks were moved from their original location for security reasons, officials say, and not cancelled as initially reported.
09:47:

Protesters are using makeshift weapons such as Molotov cocktails
09:45:

The foreign ministers of Germany, Poland and France confirm to the BBC that they have met representatives of Ukraine's opposition and are still planning to meet President Yanukovych.
09:42:

A spokesman for Ukraine's national Olympic committee tells BBC Sport that up to half of their 45 athletes at the Sochi Winter Olympics are returning home following the latest violence.
09:38:

Get live twitter updates from BBC staff in Kiev using this list.
09:38:

The Ukrainian Health Ministry in a statement on Thursday says that 28 people have died and 287 have been hospitalised during two days of street violence.
09:37:

EU foreign ministers "expect to meet Ukraine leader on Thursday", a German official quoted by AFP says.
09:34: Euromaidan PR

tweets: The heads of the MIAs of Poland, France & Germany had meeting with opposition & departed to meet #Yanukovych @Dbnmjr #Euromaidan #Ukraine
09:33:

Three EU foreign ministers have not left Kiev and are now meeting President Yanukovich, diplomats quoted by Reuters say.
09:30:

"Dozens of activists are killed in Thursday's confrontation by fire aimed directly at protesters' heads, chests and hearts. Sniper rifles and Kalashnikovs were apparently used," a 5 Kanal TV presenter said.
09:30:

Journalist Christopher Miller in Kiev tweets: "More than 50 captured police led inside the energy building next door to city hall pic.twitter.com/KUKEnERFQU"
09:28:

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says that his country can only have fully-fledged bilateral relations with Ukraine when its legitimate leadership is in "good shape", Interfax news agency reports.
09:25:

The BBC's David Stern in Kiev says: Is this the beginning of the end of Ukrainian President Yanukovych? Or is it the merely the start of an even bigger and bloodier conflagration? At the moment, it seems highly unlikely - perhaps impossible - that a truce can be re-introduced and peace restored to Kiev's streets. The sound of the gunfire from Institutskaya street can be heard throughout Independence Square, and makeshift hospitals are littered with casualties and the seriously injured.
09:22:

The scene in Kiev's Independence Square this morning, as protesters erect barricades.
09:21:

Both parliament and cabinet buildings are evacuated, with reports of police surrendering - (BBC Monitoring)
09:20:

French calls for elections in Ukraine are "inappropriate", Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin is quoted by Reuters as saying.
09:19:

Fifteen bodies are lying on the ground covered by blankets on or near Kiev's Independence Square on Thursday, a Reuters photographer at the scene says.
09:12:

The BBC's Kevin Bishop in Kiev tweets: "I saw 5 dead bodies in our hotel lobby. Many wounded being treated here. Reception giving out bandages and water. #Kiev"
09:07:

Three European Union foreign ministers in Ukraine for talks with President Viktor Yanukovych leave without seeing him, citing security concerns.
09:00:

A Ukrainian alpine skier and her coach have withdrawn from the Sochi Games in protest at the use of force by the authorities against protesters in Kiev.