A view from a balcony overlooking Kiev's ravaged Independence Square

In Kiev, Ukraine, Independence Square is burning. Opposition forces, calling for the resignation of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, are locked in a bitter struggle against government-controlled police forces. Gunshots dominate the air and wounded fill the streets as the center of Kiev looks more and more like a warzone than a protest. The oppositions are far from a unified voice, as members from significantly diverse political parties are represented in the groups of protestors. One thing is clear: these activists demand change and soon.

This wave of protest, colloquially known as Euromaidan, “Euro” being short for Europe and “maidan” referring to the Ukrainian word for “square,” was sparked by Yanukovych’s rejection of European integration, instead opting for closer economic ties with Russia. When the Ukrainian government initiated an Association Agreement with the European Union, Russia quickly modified its customs agreements with Ukraine in a threatening maneuver that sent a clear message against further EU-Ukrainian integration. Given the economic blow dealt by Russia’s customs rules against Ukraine, the Ukrainian administration decided to halt the Association Agreement until the EU could guarantee compensation for Russia’s retaliatory economic regulations. This large step backward from European integration incensed the public and anti-government protests began in the hope of ousting Yanukovych’s government and continuing the quest for closer EU relations for Ukraine.

Since the protests began, they quickly turned violent as government police forces, known as the Berkut, were deployed to disperse the crowds with heavy handed anti-riot techniques. Continued protests caused the government to institute anti-protest laws that only further exacerbated the animosity between the protestors and the police. As the situation worsened, the use of improvised explosives such as Molotov Cocktails has become commonplace and police forces has switched from non-lethal to more deadly means of quelling the unrest, such as assault rifles.

The rising death toll of the protests has captured international attention as other nations denounce Yanukovych’s forces for using excessive force. However, the international community is not entirely pro-opposition, as Russian officials have openly criticized the protestors for being Fascists and Nazis. These claims are not completely unfounded, as certain parties with the main opposition forces are indeed radical right. For instance, one of the main voices of the protestors is the far-right nationalist Svoboda party whose leader, Oleh Tyahnybok, is known for incorporating anti-Semitism into his political rhetoric. It is also highly suspected that the violent contingents of the protesters are mostly made up of these far-right extremist groups while more left-minded groups like the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, headed by famous Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Vitali Klitschko, call for only peaceful means of protest.

Currently, opposition forces and the Yanukovych’s government are trying to establish a truce to halt the turmoil in and around Independence Square. As of yet, said truce has been promised but not officially established and the fighting still rages on in the heart of Kiev. Hopefully, Euromaidan is just a case of extreme social unrest and the crisis can be resolved soon as to prevent an all out civil war.