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Ukraine President Fires Army Chief as Deadly Standoff Grips Kyiv


The firing of General Volodymyr Zamana follows hours of clashes in Kyiv between opposition protesters and riot police that left at least 26 people dead and hundreds of others wounded. President Viktor Yanukovych -- the target of the protests -- offered no explanation for the dismissal.

Hours after the violence subsided, the Interior Ministry announced a sweeping "anti-terrorist" operation, saying protesters elsewhere in the country had overrun government arms depots and seized weapons and munitions. Local media quote officials as saying they fear those stockpiles are being transported to the capital for use by protesters.


The latest violence -- the deadliest in nearly three months of anti-government protests -- triggered widespread condemnation from Western capitals and a statement of grave concern from the United Nations.

President Yanukovych is blaming opposition leaders for the latest fighting, which escalated as riot police charged the main opposition protest encampment in Kyiv late Tuesday.

Police and opposition representatives said many of the dead were killed by gunshots. Dozens of the injured were reported in serious condition. Nine of the dead were police officers.

European Union foreign ministers have called an emergency meeting Thursday in Brussels, where they are expected to agree on sanctions against those found responsible for the violence.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian opposition leader Vitali Klitschko met with President Yanukovych, but the meeting failed to produce a breakthrough. Klitschko said the president demanded protesters "stop the standoff" and unconditionally vacate Independence Square.

Klitschko urged the pro-Western demonstrators occupying the square to defend their positions. Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the barricades encircling the protest camp Wednesday.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a statement saying he is "shocked" by the escalation of violence and said use of deadly force by either side is unacceptable.





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