A huge rally has been taking place in the Ukrainian capital to oppose a government decision not to sign a deal on closer EU ties, despite a ban.
BBC: Clashes amid huge Ukraine protest against U-turn on EU
Pro-European Ukrainian demonstrators steer a bulldozer in front of police barricades protecting the presidential adminstration office in Kiev as 100 000 outraged Ukrainians swarmed the city in a call for early elections meant to punish authorities for rejecting a historic EU pact, on December 1, 2013. Ukrainian media said President Yanukovych spent most of today huddling with his most senior advisers at a secluded suburban residence. The economically-struggling nation of 46 million was thrown into its deepest crisis since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution when Yanukovych snubbed EU leaders at a summit on November 29 and opted to keep Ukraine aligned with its former master Russia. AFP PHOTO/ VASILY MAXIMOV
