I have Ukrainian family and friends there, some in Kiev and I'm very worried for their safety.
Firstly to truly understand the situation I will tell you a little bit of Ukrainian/Russian history.
There was a massive genocide of the Ukrainian people in the 1930's by Stalin. At the time Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Ukraine is a very beautiful and fertile land and very profitable. The genocide was a man made famine, know as the Holodomor click Wiki link . The Holodomor famine caused more deaths than Jewish people dying in the gas chambers, yet only up until recently have the rest of the world accepted Holodomor was a genocide (this was because UK didn't want to upset Russia by acknowledging it).
The Communist regime set about destroying Ukrainian culture religion and heritage, and all food farmed was collectivised and had to be handed over to the regime. The Ukrainian people were forced to farm their land and hand over every single grain and vegetable to the authorities and were not allowed to keep any food for themselves resulting in mass starvation and death. Any person discovered with even a small cup of flour were either beaten, arrested (not to be seen again) or killed.
My grandmother remembered Holodomor, and she tells of resentment for neighbours they knew for years having lots of hidden food yet refusing to share. There were even reports of people having to eat their dead children.
You can begin to understand why Ukrainian have a deep rooted resentment for being controlled by Russia.
All of this preceeded WW2, and many Ukrainian people were propagandised by hearing on the radio that the German Nazi's were coming to Ukraine to liberate them from the oppression of Russia - another story but you can see how desperate they were to get rid of the Russians. And don't forget even the UK didn't realise the extent of the Nazi regime until after the war had ended.
After the war Ukraine was a broken country. My grandparents came to UK. My grandmother was too afraid to write home, all letters were intercepted anyway by the Soviets, and she was afraid her family may have been persecuted further. From the day she left Ukraine as a 14 year old she never heard from her family again.
Fast forward to 1990 and Ukraine finally gains independence. Since then Ukraine has not fared well, high levels of crime and corruption persist right up to top levels of the government even today.
The far east of Ukraine and Crimea are Russian speaking and pro Russia. Russian companies provide these areas with heavily industrialised jobs, mining, steelworks, shipworks etc. In Crimea, the Russians lease a strategic naval base in exchange for cheaper gas provided by Russia.
Todays trouble are because the people of Ukraine, mostly the central and western Ukrainian's want a closer link with Europe. In 2012 the EU and Ukraine entered an agreement but Ukraine had to agree to address concerns over democracy which President Yanukovych agreed.
Then in 2013, Russia changed its customs regulations on imports from Ukraine effectively creating a trade block, and some saw this as a protest from Russia against Ukraine's strengthening links with Europe.
In November 2013, President Yanukovych attended the EU summit where he was expected to sign the EU agreement, but did not.
The peaceful protests were violently dispersed by Berkut riot police who allegedly beat up children. This in turn escalated into full scale riots, and the protesting we are seeing today.
Most of the protests are disruptive yet peaceful, there are protests going on across the whole country of Ukraine involving thousands of people without violence. Some local authorities have denounced their government. Even the Mayor of Kiev resigned in protest. The violence occurs when police respond with heavy handed tactics.
The police have also targeted medics and journalists, including one medic who was shot after having his hands raised to the police.
It's been reported that Russia is sending the Ukrainian government help after accusing the EU of using blackmail against Ukraine.
All the protesters want is for the president to step down and allow democracy to rule without corruption. All they want is real freedom and independence!
