FSP-Microcosm News-Global Community Report: Vitali Klitschko

Showing posts with label Vitali Klitschko. Show all posts

Friday, February 21, 2014

Dozens of Ukrainian Police Defect and Vow To Protect The People ; Ukraine President Backs Down, Signs Peace Pact with Protesters

NBC News

Image: Police officers from Lviv who joined anti-government protesters appear on a stage in Kiev's Independence Square

DAVID MDZINARISHVILI / Reuters
Police officers from Lviv, Ukraine, appear on a stage after joining protesters in Kiev's Independence Square on Friday.

Dozens of Ukrainian Police Defect, Vow to Protect Protesters

By James Novogrod
KIEV, Ukraine - About 40 police officers defected to Ukraine's opposition and marched into the heart of the protest encampment in the Kiev on Friday, the day after violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces killed dozens.

"We wear this uniform, and in this uniform I made a vow to be a servant of the Ukrainian people," said Col. Vasyl Krykovskiy, the head of police in the district of Lviv. "I just have to be here and protect these people."

Reupping shot from earlier of the 40 police officers from western Ukraine marching through Kiev to join opposition: pic.twitter.com/Vz2Fm53Tvb
-James Novogrod (@JamieNBCNews) February 21, 2014

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Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images an hour

Ukraine President Backs Down, Signs Peace Pact with Protesters
By Maria Stromova, Alexander Smith, James Novogrod and Jason Cumming

KIEV, Ukraine -- President Viktor Yanukovych signed a deal with Ukraine's main opposition leaders on Friday brokered to end the deadly violence that put the country on the brink of civil war.

He agreed to early elections and to surrender some of his powers after 77 people were killed as a geopolitical tug-of-war over whether Ukraine should embrace the West or Russia turned violent this week. (The agreement can be read in full by clicking here.)

Yanukovych said he offered the concessions to "restore peace and to avoid further victims of the stand-off" and addressed his statement to "compatriots."

The deal states that:

Within 48 hours Ukraine must revert to its 2004 constitution, meaning some of Yanukovych's powers will be given to the parliament. This was passed by lawmakers shortly after the deal was finalized.

A coalition government will be formed in the next 10 days and presidential elections will be brought forward from March 2015 until no later than December.

Illegal weapons must be handed in and there will also be an investigation into the deadly violence that has dominated Kiev this week.

The agreement was signed by the three main opposition leaders, including former boxing star Vitali Klitschko. However, it was almost immediately rejected by the extremist Right Sector party, which has been blamed for much of the civilian violence since protests in Kiev's Independence Square began in November.

"We are inclined to consider Yanukovych’s statement as another whitewash," Right Sector said in a statement. "National revolution continues."
ANDRIY MOSIENKO / Ukrainian government via EPA

The agreement came after overnight negotiations with opposition leaders, European Union ministers and Russia.

But photographs of the document showed that the signature of Vladimir Lukin, special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was missing. Reuters confirmed that Lukin did not sign the deal and said there was no immediate explanation for his absence.

One of the European foreign ministers who helped broker the deal, Poland's Radosław Sikorski, said the agreement was a "good compromise."
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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Vitali Klitschko : The face of the opposition in the Ukraine is a heavyweight boxing champ with a Ph.D who has lost only two fights but is now locked in the battle of his life.

Image: Vitali Klitschko, Ukrainian opposition leader and former world champion boxer

Etienne De Malglaive / Getty Images, file an hour

Ukraine Crisis

Ukraine Opposition Leader Vitali Klitschko in Fight of His Life

By Tracy Connor, Henry Austin and Alastair Jamieson

The face of the opposition in the Ukraine is a heavyweight boxing champ with a Ph.D who has lost only two fights but is now locked in the battle of his life.

Vitali Klitschko, a 6-foot-7 father of three, is known as Dr. Ironfist for his achievements in the ring and the academic arena.

Once feared for a devastating left jab, the 42-year-old is now landing political blows as head of the Ukranian Democratic Alliance for Reform and the protests that have erupted into deadly clashes in Kiev.

At least one old opponent is in his corner. Lennox Lewis, who defeated Klitschko in a controversial 2003 match, tweeted his support on Wednesday.

Prayers and safety to my brother in arms Vitali @Klitschko and the citizens of Ukraine. #ukraineprotests
— Lennox Lewis (@LennoxLewis) February 19, 2014

Klitschko's new rival is Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovich — and he demanded Yanukovich resign on Wednesday, saying he's responsible for "murder and terror against peaceful civilians."

"Blood is shed on the streets of Kiev," Klitschko said in a video address. "The main reason for this is actions of the authorities. Therefore, people today demand Yanukovich and his government to resign.

"The sooner this happens, the less blood is shed, the faster Ukraine will move to a civilized future for which people has taken to the streets."

Earlier, he had appeared in Independence Square — after fierce fighting left 26 people, including 10 police officers, dead — to urge demonstrators to hold their ground.

"We will not go anywhere from here," he told the crowd. "This is an island of freedom and we will defend it."

The son of a Soviet pilot and former colonel who launched his boxing career in 1995, Klitschko got involved in politics during an injury-forced temporary retirement. In 2005, he made a bid to become mayor of Kiev — the first of three failed runs for the seat.

Vitali Klitschko, Sergei Bubka speak out on Ukraine violence

By Cindy Boren

February 19 at 9:19 am

Vitali Klitschko, the UDAR (Punch) party head, helps anti-government protesters carry a wounded man. (Yury Kirnichny / AFP Getty Images)

As protests turned deadly violent Tuesday in Kiev, two of the Ukraine’s more vocal and visible leaders are men who became household names in the world of sports.
Vitali Klitschko, the former boxing champion and the head of the pro-Western Udar opposition party in Ukraine, urged protesters to continue their actions while Sergei Bubka, the former pole-vaulting great, urged peace from the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Klitschko addressed a crowd of about 20,000 Wednesday, telling people to defend their camp even as fires burned around it.
“We will not go anywhere from here,” Klitschko told the crowd (via the Associated Press) at the main encampment at Independence Square. “This is an island of freedom and we will defend it.”
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