Maidan on the verge of collapse

That night, the Ukrainian special forces seriously squeezed the protesters who rally under the buildings of the government and the presidential administration. Although it is difficult to name the power overclocking at night, it becomes obvious in Kyiv: the Maidan fades and you can save it only in case of some incredibly gross mistake of Yanukovych

Last day, the Euromaidan participants in Kyiv expected a forceful acceleration of the action. The authorities caught up with several thousand special forces into the center of the capital, blocked all the approaches for cars with provisions and firewood for the protesters. Three central, closest to the focus of protest, metro station did not work for several hours. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that they allegedly received reports on the mining of the stations. On the Maidan, all this time was sure: the authorities simply do everything possible in order to catch up with fear of ordinary Kyivans and complicate the process of gathering on the main square of the country. The plan, I must say, worked: in the evening in the center of the Ukrainian capital, the protesters were even less than during the day. On this day, most people who still came to support the protesters every night for an hour or two remained at home: “to fall under the distribution” there were few people who wanted to.

But no assault happened. At night, the special forces only pushed the protesters from the roadway on the streets adjacent to the buildings of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Presidential Administration, with the help of shields. There were some local clashes between the protesters and the security forces, but the escalations of the conflict did not happen: people's deputies restrained people from the opposition, and, obviously, the order was to refrain from provocations at all costs.

So, during the pressure on the opposition from the "Golden Eagle", instead of a real force confrontation, there were only rare local skirmishes and a huge number of verbal insults against special forces. Which he silently endured.

Why the authorities did not dare to a full -scale assault on the protesters, but only “pushed” the Maidan from the key administrative institutions, it is clear: today the “Ukrainian issue” is being discussed by the European Parliament, and President Yanukovych discusses the situation with three former national leaders: Viktor Yushchenko, Leonid Kuchma and Leonid Kravchuk. Initially, it was reported that this meeting would be broadcast live, but at the last moment they changed their minds on Bankova.

In general, all people who are closely observing what is happening on the Maidan and in Kyiv in general, claim that during the Orange Revolution, which occurred nine years ago, the authorities behaved much less aggressively and much less subtly. Protesters are convinced that Russian political technologists and special services help the president to “resolve” the situation.

The Maidan constantly discuss information stuffing against them. During these days, the protesters were scared by either a “dangerous unreasonable virus”, then an open form of tuberculosis (not far from the Maidan from this disease, as the authorities, an elderly Lvivov), then inflammation of the lungs, then overclocking. Someone of the protesters purposefully spread rumors on the Maidan that the opposition allegedly had already “agreed on everything” with the authorities, and therefore it was necessary to immediately demand from the authorities the arrest of “their accomplices” represented by opposition leaders. There were other provocations: once on the approaches to the central part of the area, activists detained two “titles” with gas pistols. Now everyone who wants to get into the "heart" of the rally, activists examine and publicize. At the entrance to the building of the Kyiv city administration, they inevitably require a "breath".

Someone, they say on the Maidan, skillfully controls the "titles." They suddenly undertake to “protect the“ office ”of the 5th channel” and do not disperse even after the police outfit come to the building on the call of journalists. One of the provocateurs calls for the pickets of the offices of the largest television channels that allegedly "spread lies and a lie", although it is virtually impossible to convict them from the very beginning of the Eurorevolution. This morning, about 150 unknown young people who allegedly act on behalf of the opposition blocked the EU representation in Kyiv. For some reason, there were only three policemen for some reason the approaches to the building.

Along the way, the authorities repuls the desire to rally and fight the regime through regular intimidation and new criminal cases. Yesterday they opened a criminal case against the lawyer of the detained journalist and civil activist Andrei Dzindi. Criminal cases were also opened against those residents of the suburban village of Vasilkovo, where local residents blocked several special forces for several days in a row, which is why they could not go to Kyiv in any way.

The central stations of the Kyiv metro stopped working this morning. The police allegedly again someone announced the mining of the stations.

The protesters are sure that attempts to storm the center of the Maidan were not made only because now is the climax of the revolution. President Yanukovych, obviously, after consulting with three presidents, will make some important statement or even go to some minor concessions to the protesters. In addition, his actions are closely monitored in Europe. But by December 17, when Putin and Yanukovych will discuss the prospects for further cooperation in Moscow, the Maidan will have to be cleaned, the protesters say. But hundreds of them do not intend to go home. Now they are asking Kievites to bring sand bags and old car tires to Khreshchatyk so that "real barricades" can be built.

Photo: Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko