Ukraine Crisis: Flames and Stun Grenades as Police Launch All-out Assault on Protesters in Kiev

Anti-government protesters throw stones and molotov cocktails
towards Interior Ministry members

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Police in the Ukrainian capital Kiev launch fierce attack on protesters in main city square after a day of violence and deaths

Fires lit up central Kiev as Ukraine’s security forces launched an assault on protest camps in the heart of the capital after a day of bloodshed that claimed nine lives.

A long-feared attack on the demonstrators who have occupied central Kiev since December appeared to have begun on Tuesday evening. The interior ministry announced the onset of an “anti-terrorist” operation after setting a deadline of 6pm local time for the protests against President Viktor Yanukovych to end.

Afterwards, central Kiev was sealed off and the metro closed down. Specialist riot police armed with assault rifles closed on Independence Square, the site of the biggest protest camp. Security forces overran the main barricade protecting this area and set the tents belonging to demonstrators ablaze. » | Roland Oliphant, David Blair and agencies | Tuesday, February 18, 2014