[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_LFrMcoEm4&w=853&h=480]
It appears government efforts to squash three months of protests in the Ukrainian capital have reached a dramatic climax. On Tuesday, after failed negotiations, clashes between opponents of President Viktor Yanukovych and security forces re-ignited. Kiev police report at least nine deaths and many now expect a crackdown on protesters camped out in the city’s Maidan Square. The live feed here, brought to you by an independent Ukrainian TV channel, shows the two camps locked in a tense standoff, with ranks of riot police massed before the protesters’ barricades. The clashes are expected to continue deep into the Ukrainian night.