You're reading: Thousands of activists remain on Independence Square

Around 5,000 people have gathered on Kyiv's Independence (Maidan) Square by Wednesday at noon.

They are mainly the people who brought food, warm clothing, water and medications, an Interfax correspondent said. Volunteers are distributing masks and respirators. At the same time, there are huge crowds of people from the so-called Maidan self-defense in Kyiv's central square.

The opposition supporters and police are separated by a burning
half-meter pile of tires, logs and boards. Law enforcers have tried to
put out the fire using a water hose.

The fire at the fifth floor at the Trade Unions’ House continues,
with an occasional sound of a falling structure or broken glass.
Attempts are made to remove blankets and food from the building. An odd
squib explosion can be heard.

Foreign reporters have been gathering around barricades in
Independent Square, with a number of European channels broadcasting live
reports.

There have been disruptions in signal reception in the city center.

A medical station has been set up on the grounds of the St. Michael’s
Cathedral. Around 300 people are gathered in the square in front of the
Cathedral. Inside the cathedral proper, a shelter has been organized
for opposition supporters, with medics receiving medications brought
there.

We have received over 100 victims, a church staff member said. “Major
surgeries were conducted here, the entire refectory has been allocated
for tending to the injured. Medics were working through the night,” he
said.

Up to 100 people from the Maidan self-defense group are currently on the church’s grounds.

Traffic in Mykhailivska Street has been obstructed by a barricade, piles of bricks and pavestone.