Protesters force away riot police Obama attacks Putin over Ukraine Clashes in Kiev - in pictures Ukraine anti-government protests – timeline

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• At least 21 dead and dozens injured as Ukraine truce is shattered

  Live Police snipers fire live rounds at protesters, killing many
  • European foreign leaders meeting in Kiev for talks to end bloodshed
  • Ukrainian ambassador summoned in London to protest at crackdown
  
  
  
  • Protesters force away riot police
  • Obama attacks Putin over Ukraine
  • Clashes in Kiev - in pictures
  • Ukraine anti-government protests – timeline
  
  

  Protesters burn as they stand behind burning barricades during clashes with police in Kiev. Photograph: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images

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  7m ago

  The Kiev Post is reporting as many as 42 killed in today’s clashes alone. It said:
  

  Kiev Post journalists either saw for themselves or had the following body counts confirmed to them by medical personnel: 15 at Kozatsky Hotel, 12 at Ukraine Hotel, 7 at the central post office, and 8 on Khreshchatyk Street.
  Dr. Olha Bohomolets, one of the attending physicians to 12 fatal gunshot victims at Ukraine Hotel, said that the victims were shot with high-precision rifles and powerful ammunition that broke their bones.

  

  Medics embrace in the lobby of the Hotel Ukraine, which has been converted to a medical clinic and makeshift morgue. Photograph: Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

  16m ago

  Sanctions draft text

  Foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels to discuss imposing sanctions and arms embargo against Ukraine.
  A draft text of the proposed sanctions has been passed to Reuters. It says:
  

  In light of the deteriorating situation, the EU has decided as a matter of urgency on targeted measures against those responsible for violence and use of excessive force...
  
  At the same time, member states have decided to implement an arms embargo and a ban on equipment used for internal repression ...
  Any further escalation, including the introduction of a state of emergency, or the use of the armed forces against protesters must be avoided.

  British Foreign Secretary William Hague, arriving for the EU meeting, condemned the killing of more protesters in Kiev, calling it “utterly unacceptable and indefensible.”
  
  “By permitting such actions to take place, the Ukrainian government is putting itself at odds with reasonable opinion all across the world,” he told reporters.
  On sanctions, Hague said it was important there was a strong international response, but also that “we promote ultimately a peaceful settlement of these issues and retain our capability to do so.”
  
  One EU diplomat told Reuters that a group of countries, including Greece, Portugal, Spain, Britain and the Netherlands, were cautious about going ahead with sanctions because of concern about breaking off dialogue with the Ukrainians.
  
  

  Updated 16m ago
  40m ago

  More graphic footage shows protesters in Kiev coming under fire. Warning: the following clip shows protesters being wounded and bodies being dragged away. It doesn’t show the source of the shots. Ukraine’s Interior ministry has confirmed that the security forces have opened fire against protesters.
  In a statement quoted by Russia Today, it shots were fired in self-defence.
  

  On February 20, from the windows of Kiev conservatory, unknown gunmen opened fire at law-enforcement officials. Aiming to save lives and the health of the security forces, it was decided to relocate the troops to safer spots and according to the current legislation, to use firearms as self-defense.

  Updated 36m ago
  46m ago
  Britain has summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to London to protest against the crackdown in Kiev.
  In a statement it said the Europe minister David Lidington “expressed extreme concern over the reports of further violence and deaths, and made clear that action against peaceful protestors on Independence Square is unacceptable”.   copy http://www.theguardian.com