You're reading: Mashable: Violent protests escalate in Kyiv as protesters clash with riot police

In the most violent scenes since anti-government protests began in Ukraine more than two months ago, radical demonstrators clashed with riot police outside the cabinet building in central Kiev on Sunday, while thousands of onlookers cheered them on.

Donning helmets and masks, the group hurled fireworks and bricks at police, and seized at least three of their buses, burning one and ramming another into a police cordon.

Police doused the buses that protesters set ablaze using hoses and a water cannon. Later, in sub-zero temperatures, they turned that water cannon on protesters in an attempt to push them back.