Mass protests in the Ukrainian capital — the largest since the 2005 Orange Revolution — have paralyzed the country, with protesters calling on Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych to not jettison his nation’s move towards integration with the European Union. The President’s unwillingness to release a political rival from prison in late November led to demonstrations and sit-ins that have spotlighted Ukraine’s awkward place on the geopolitical map, split between the influence of an expanding Europe and neighboring Russia.
Kiev’s Pro-West Protests Paralyze Ukraine
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Anti-government protesters use snow to reinforce a barricade blocking street access to Independence Square, known as the Euromaidan, on December 11, 2013 in Kiev.
