Anniversary in Kiev

Maidan protest 10 years ago at its bloody peak

On Tuesday, the tenth anniversary of the bloody climax of the pro-Western Maidan protests in the Ukrainian capital Kiev was commemorated by Volodymyr Selenskyj. Back then, dozens of people lost their lives in violence.

"It is the commemoration of the fact that ten years ago Ukrainians decided once and for all: We want and will only live in a European state," said the head of state in a video message published on Tuesday.

The fight on the squares and barricades back then is continuing on the front line today, he said, placing the protests on a par with the war against Ukraine launched by Russia almost two years ago. Together with his wife Olena Selenska, he placed lanterns at a memorial cross next to a chapel not far from Independence Square in Kiev.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets
The Maidan protests marked the beginning of the confrontation between the West and Russia in Ukraine, which continues to this day. In the winter of 2013/2014, tens of thousands of Ukrainians demonstrated against Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych and for closer ties with the EU.

February 20 as the bloody climax of the protests
In the center of Kiev, there was a permanent protest camp on Independence Square (Maidan Nesaleshnosti) for a good three months. At the height of the protests on February 20, 2014 alone, around four dozen demonstrators were shot dead on what was then Institute Street and the Maidan. During the protests, 17 police officers were also shot dead and dozens were injured by bullets. President Yanukovych first left Kiev and shortly afterwards Ukraine and went into exile in Russia.

Overthrow of Yanukovych as a pretext for annexation of Crimea
The overthrow of Yanukovych served as a pretext for Russia to annex the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. In eastern Ukraine, separatists supported by Moscow broke away from Kiev. The armed conflict in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which lasted for years, was in turn used by the Kremlin as justification for the invasion of Ukraine that began two years ago.