Ukraine's Prime Minister and Cabinet Resign

Azarov

In efforts to bring peace and an end to protests, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has resigned. His cabinet also joined him in resigning. Shortly before, parliament voted to repeal controversial anti protest laws and afterwards passed an amnesty bill for anyone who protested.

In a further offer to the opposition, President Viktor Yanukovych also offered up constitutional changes which could take power away from his position. Unconfirmed reports also state that he said he would give the opposition anything they wanted, as long as he could stay in office.

A key demand, of the protesters and opposition, has been his removal from office. However, stripping him of power may be enough to end the protests. If the opposition accepts the terms, only time will tell if the protesters will leave the barricades for home.

Tuesday also saw the news that a police officer had died, after succumbing to injuries he received during fighting with protesters, over the weekend. His death brings the total up to five killed in the violence. Over two thousand protesters and two hundred police were injured.

Protests began, in November, when the president backed away from a deal to join the EU, and instead turned to Russia. Multiple police attempts to clear out Kiev's Independence Square have failed, with injuries mounting since last Sunday, and deaths occurring on Wednesday. Many Ukrainians worry that Yanukovych is taking their country back under Russian influence and fear a loss of their independence from their former Soviet masters.