A pro-EU Ukrainian opposition rebel apparently carrying bottles of alcoholic drinks rushes through a broken door in the seized regional Prosecutor's office in the west-Ukrainian city of Lviv, Ukraine, early 19 February 2014. Photo: EPA/Ivan Bobersky
In Lviv, protesters seized the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), as well as offices of the state prosecution service and an arms depot managed by the Interior Ministry.
The executive committee of the region's council, which includes opposition MPs and academics (Lviv is a major university city), then declared in a statement that it is “assuming full responsibility for the fate of the region and its citizens.
"The majority of the district police departments have already announced their decision to take the side of the people of Ukraine and report to the executive committee of the Lviv region's council," the statement claimed.
"The regime has begun active military action against people," the statement stressed, adding that "dozens of people have been killed in Kiev and hundreds have been wounded."
Security services were seen surrendering to protesters in the historic city, which has long been a cradle of Ukrainian nationalism.
The storming of the SBU building was accompanied by looting and the destruction of property.
Likewise, documents from the state prosecutor's office were thrown from the windows, and files were duly burnt by supporters gathered outside the building (pictured below).
Pro-EU Ukrainian opposition activists burn documents thrown from the seized regional Prosecutor's office in the west-Ukrainian city of Lviv, Ukraine, early 19 February 2014. Photo: EPA/Ivan Borbersky
Elsewhere in western Ukraine in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, anti-regime protesters occupied an SBU building, the prosecutor's office and the regional police headquarters. Police commander Vasily Fedyk resigned from her post in a gesture towards the demonstrators.
Meanwhile, a police station was torched in the city of Ternopil, and the prosecutor's office was also attacked. Cars then circled the city, with demonstrators inciting people to journey to Kiev, where clashes continue.
Western Ukraine's history differs markedly from the east, with its cities and towns reflecting periods as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Poland. The Ukrainian language is more widely spoken in the west, and the Greek Catholic faith remains pervasive, as opposed to Orthodox in the east of the country, where the Russian language is predominant.
PM Tusk in favour of sanctions
Meanwhile, Poland's prime minister told parliament on Wednesday that he is in favour of sanctions against the Kiev authorities, who he described as “the perpetrators of the Ukrainian misery.”
His announcement comes before a special meeting of EU foreign ministers on Thursday to address the matter.
Tusk stressed that a compromise between the authorities and the opposition would still be the most desirable solution, but that such a scenario is looking increasingly unlikely.
Tusk reflected that in the absence of a compromise, “ongoing anarchy, the risk of the collapse of the state or the outbreak civil war,” were realistic scenarios – outcomes which would be “dramatically bad for both Poland and Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has confirmed that he has been selected by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to take part in a mission to Ukraine.
Sikorski, together with the foreign ministers of France and Germany, is due to meet President Viktor Yanukovich on Thursday in Kiev, where the three diplomats will present the EU's position.
The three EU foreign ministers will also meet with Ukrainian opposition leaders. (nh)
Source: TVN, Interfax Ukraine, PAP