A new "Berlin Wall"?

(Baonghean) - Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko said that negotiations for a truce with the protesters were unsuccessful. He said the reason was that "extremist" groups and armed protesters showed no willingness to cooperate.

Recently, protesters attempted to seize control of the Ministry of Energy, an action described by authorities as "terrorism." This is one manifestation of the escalating crisis of the protests that began last November. The protests are believed to be due to the Ukrainian government's refusal to sign an agreement with the European Union under pressure from neighboring Russia. Last week, tensions increased after two protesters were allegedly shot dead by police in clashes at a protest rally in Kyiv's Independence Square. Authorities denied accusations made by protest leaders that police and snipers were behind the assassination. On Friday, the wave of protests spread throughout the capital, and many regional administrative buildings fell under the control of the rebels.

The capital city of Kyiv is in a state of tension following fierce clashes between police and protesters on Friday night and Saturday morning.

President Viktor Yanukovych said he would do everything possible to restore stability to Ukraine. However, his opponent, Vitaly Klitschko, argued that the protests would not subside unless the president resigned. Clearly, the atmosphere in the country is becoming increasingly tense and is spiraling out of control for the opposition. The Minister of Internal Affairs stated that the lives of citizens are being endangered by the protesters as the forms of struggle become increasingly violent. In a press release last Saturday, he said, "The situation in Ukraine in recent days shows that all attempts by the authorities to resolve the crisis peacefully have failed. Our appeals have gone unanswered and agreements between the two sides have been violated."

He also accused the protesters of shooting at a police officer and kidnapping three others. This press release came shortly after intense clashes on Friday night and Saturday morning between police and protesters in Kyiv. Specifically, Energy Minister Edouard Stavytsky stated that approximately 100 protesters attempted to occupy the Ministry's main building in the center of Kyiv. After the Minister spoke with the protesters, they left the building but remained surrounding the entrances. Responding to reporters, he said, "What is happening is a direct threat to the entire nation's energy system." Meanwhile, the protesters claimed their purpose was to demonstrate to the authorities that no government building or facility remains safe.

While the situation in Kyiv appears to remain largely under government control, in several western provinces, protesters have seized control of key administrative buildings. This region also has closer ties to the European Union. Specifically, in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk, 1,500 protesters are holding and barricading themselves in the regional administrative building, pressuring the local government head to resign. In Chernivsti, also in the west, crowds rioted outside the government building as police struggled to protect it, shouting "Shameful soldiers!" and "Resign!" In Lutsk, in the southwest, they organized large demonstrations. In Lviv, protesters surrounded the local administrative building last Thursday. There are also reports that several members of the Berkut special police unit have resigned.

Stefan Fuele, a member of the European Union's Enlargement Development Committee, said that dialogue has taken place with both sides and that the EU will support both parties in "de-escalating tensions in Ukraine and finding ways to bring the country out of the crisis." The wave of protests was initially sparked by the Ukrainian government's decision to refuse to sign an cooperation agreement with the EU under pressure from Russia. However, the protesters later claimed they were targeting corruption and abuse of power within the current government. The Ukrainian government rejected these accusations and firmly stated that it would take all legal measures to resolve the crisis.

It's impossible to look at present-day Ukraine without thinking of the Berlin Wall. East and West Germany, two sides of the historical ideological divide, are once again being depicted, albeit less clearly. While the current context may not be the same as Germany's post-World War II Germany, the strained relationship between Russia and the European Union is likely enough to push Ukraine into a dilemma. Where will the crisis in Ukraine lead? It remains to be seen whether Russia will continue to exert pressure or ease its grip on its neighbor, and whether the European Union will actively seek to establish relations with Ukraine. Let's wait and see if a second Berlin Wall will be built!

Reishi Mushroom