| CNN | - |
Kiev,
Ukraine (CNN) -- Protesters in Kiev knocked down a statue of Vladimir
Lenin on Sunday as outrage mounted over the government's suspension of
talks with the European Union.
Lenin statue toppled in Ukraine protest
updated 12:42 PM EST, Sun December 8, 2013
Demonstrators shout slogans during
a mass rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, on Sunday,
December 8. Ukrainians occupied the square to denounce President Viktor
Yanukovich's decision to turn away from Europe and align this ex-Soviet
republic with Russia, as protests continued for a third week.
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Ukraine protests
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Crowds chant "Good job" after statue of Soviet hero falls
- Kiev suspended talks with the European Union last month
- Protesters hope to pile more pressure on the government
- Ukrainian President Yanukovich met his Russian counterpart Friday
A crowd of cheering protesters chanted "Good job" after the statue fell.
Pieces of the statue were
on the ground. Only parts of the Soviet hero's legs remained at the
base. A man waving a Ukrainian flag stood atop the pedestal beside them.
Numerous statues of Lenin, one of the leaders of the 1917 Russian Revolution, have been removed from Kiev in previous years.
The toppling of the
statue on Sunday came as 100,000 protesters took to the streets of Kiev,
according to police estimates, piling more pressure on Ukrainian
President Viktor Yanukovich after he turned away from integration with
Europe.
Kiev suspended talks with
the European Union last month, angering many Ukrainians who say an EU
agreement would have opened borders to trade and set the stage for
modernization and inclusion.
The subsequent protests
that have rattled the eastern European country are the biggest in
Ukraine since the so-called Orange Revolution nine years ago, a populist
movement that toppled the government.
Opposition leaders, who
failed to force the government's resignation in a vote of confidence in
parliament last week, are counting on their supporters to voice their
discontent.
Demonstrators flocked to
the capital's Independence Square, many camping out in freezing weather
as they demanded the government's ouster as well as early presidential
and parliamentary elections.
A new Orange Revolution in Ukraine?
Ukraine's Prime Minister calls for peace
Ukraine protest organizer relates demands
Fighting for Ukraine
Others rallied outside
the cabinet office, the presidential office and other government offices
-- in some cases blocking the buildings and preventing employees from
working.
Tens of thousands of
anti-government activists met at noon in Kiev for a rally organizers
hailed as the "1 Million March," hoping it would swell to 1 million
people as the day went on.
Ukrainian opposition leaders said close to half a million people were out on the streets. Police put the figure at 60,000.
The crowd waved
Ukrainian and EU flags and chanted slogans such as "Ukraine is Europe."
Some held pictures of Yanukovich's jailed chief political opponent,
Yulia Tymoshenko.
In statements posted on her official website, Tymoshenko called on supporters to keep up their demands.
"I believe that you are strong, inspired and not retreat," wrote the former prime minister, who ended a 12-day hunger strike last week, according to the Batkivschyna opposition party.
"Be prepared for the
fact that the struggle will be long and difficult, instant victory
impossible. But professional and well-planned, your joint struggle has a
chance to finish the victory."
Opposition demands
Demonstrators held a
similar rally December 1. The daily protests have mainly been peaceful,
but there has also been some violence, drawing condemnation from Western
governments.
The crowds often swell in size in the evenings as people leave work and join the protests.
Protestors block government offices
Return of Ukraine's Orange Revolution?
Ukraine pro-EU protesters stand firm
Turmoil in Ukraine
In speeches at the
rallies, protest leaders have called for the government's resignation,
the release of protesters arrested during clashes in Kiev, and the
punishment of those responsible for using violence against
demonstrators.
"I appeal to the whole
Ukraine, its East and West. The whole Ukraine must rise and declare a
strike to this power in all cities and towns from tomorrow," said boxer
Vitaly Klitschko, an opposition leader, in a statement on the website of
the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party.
Ukraine, Russian presidents meet
Against the backdrop of the anti-government protests, Yanukovich met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
The Ukrainian President traveled to China last week and had a work meeting with his Russian counterpart on the way back.
"The two Presidents
discussed current bilateral relations and preparations for the upcoming
meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission in Moscow," an
official statement from Putin's office said.
One of the main reasons
for Yanukovich's decision to backpedal on the EU talks is Russia's
threat of trade sanctions and gas bill hikes. Yanukovich was also under
pressure by the EU to free Tymoshenko.
The Orange Revolution that swept him from office in 2004, when he was prime minister, also swept Tymoshenko to power.
Tymoshenko was sentenced
to seven years in prison in 2011 after being convicted of abuse of
authority over a natural gas deal negotiated with Russia in 2009. The
United States and Europe see the punishment as politically motivated.
CNN's Radina Gigova contribute to this report.
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