Wooden Shields

The history of Ukrainian 2014 revolution, more commonly known there as Euromaidan, showed that many people would do inhumane things like hurting harmless unarmed people, kidnapping and bullying revolutionists and destroying revolutionary medical centers, while others give all their money, time and even lives for beliefs of thousands in better future.Most of the civilized Ukrainian community was looking forward to signing  the agreement with the European union, that would later improve Ukrainian economics, raise it to European level without offending country’s uniqueness. However, the president, that was caught in corruption multiple times even way before he became a president, decided this time as well to fail negotiation regardless all the European politicians trying to over-persuade the Ukrainian leader.

The next morning after the summit, pro-government political party gathered people on the European square in Kiev, to show the support to the president, and everyone was told that they will get paid 200 hryvnas for coming. The action was against moral principles of many Ukrainians, but an “itch for money” made many seekers for easy profits show up and actually support the real corruption. Well-taught cameramen were recording cheerful happy people, taking the shots that would make the crowd look as big as possible, and translating on many leading TV channels. At the same day, thousands of young people , mostly students, followed a reputable journalist’s Mustafa Nayem’s call to get connected via social media and meet at the Independence Square for peaceful protests. Even though the amount of protesters was pretty impressive and noticeable for local citizens, it was barely mentioned during the news and considered as insignificant event. By the late night time, because of multiple reasons, like cold and studying, many of them left for the night,  with intention to come the next day, and around 500 persistent students at 4 o’clock in the morning, were still standing on the square. At 4.30 all the students without getting any prior warnings, got beaten hard to blood with batons by police special forces called “Berkut”. At the same time, communal vehicles appeared and workers started cleaning the square and preparing foundation for the Christmas tree like nothing happened. Ukrainians woke up and found out about the terrible night accident, and it changed the attitude of thousands and gave a life to new revolution. All those radically minded people gathered on Myhaylivskiy square and by night all the crowd moved back to the Independence square and increased to almost 100 thousand people that wanted Yanukovich to pay for his sins and give up the presidency.

On December 8th presidential party organized protests against the revolution by bringing people from mostly Eastern part of Ukraine, were president had most of proponents, and “buying” them by promising good money for a small favor – supporting the president. On Sunday almost half of the million of people joined the national viche (gathering of community members to inform everybody of important events  and come up with a collective planning for the near future) on the Independence square to vote for what they believed in. Some people started blocking entrances to the government blocks, building barricades and setting up tents, in other words, people were preparing for the long winter and many days of waiting.

Next two and a half months people spent waiting,  and fighting for every inch of the central streets with “Berkut” special forces. Many people from all over the country left their jobs, families and moved to live in tents in cold winter believing that they can make the difference. Revolutionists were getting support not from the government or any organizations, but from millions of Ukrainians, who couldn’t be present in the Revolution camp, but were sending food, clothes, medication and whatever else was needed in the “small town” of Ukrainian revolution in the heart of the capital. The structure of this town was well-organized: within a few days,  medical tents, information and announcements desks, tents with food and just for sleeping were set up all over the central streets. Volunteers were guarding all the important entrances, cooking food, improving barricades, taking care of sick people, all depending on skills and preferences. Many  businessmen left their companies without oversight, their comfortable large houses and were working and living equally side by side with poor villagers that barely owned something financially valuable. The camp had its warm and friendly ambiance, it became popular among all the capital residents. Every person was welcome to sit near the fire place and get some dinner and hot tea absolutely for free.

On the other side of barricades,  well-payed special units of “Berkut” and some Eastern Ukrainians that were supporting “Russian direction” and Yanukovich, were the only people left to refuse changes, even after army and police refused to join them.  Presidential party “Partiya Regioniv” organized transportation and provided tents, food, clothes in Mariyinskiy park for people that were willing to support their president for promised 200 hryvnas, while lots of people were sleeping many days on the Independence Square without shelter and not much of support.However, this didn’t work well: “hired” supporters would fight for food, cursing each other, were angry and disappointed because some of them got paid just 50 instead of promised 200, while others didn’t even get a cent.

Police forces tried multiple times to break the defense of “Praviy sector”, main self-organized forces of the revolution, find the weakest spots and attack in the least expected moments. All the assaults were followed by beating up every reachable person , without looking at the age or gender, but still people could successfully keep the main camp undefeated. Revolutionists kept the center of the city safe for the citizens, all the stores in the area were open and untouched, revolutionists respected public property and weren’t violent and didn’t destroy anything. Public buildings that were occupied by people, mostly women and sick people, were clean and organized. On the other hand, when policemen would win the control over some buildings, they would violently break windows, doors, and book shelves with books that were organized by activists, destroy all the provision, medications, leave and then blame everything on violent revolutionists.

On December 31st hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were celebrating the coming of New Year by lighting up their phones while singing Ukrainian National anthem. During Christmas holidays which are in first two weeks of January, the revolution camp was half empty, but still many people with an incredible power of will were not going to give up half way. Meanwhile, government, was trying to make the revolution fade away by chasing important people, torturing and killing them one by one, breaking the cars of the people that were bringing provision to “Praviy Sector” and legalizing ridiculous dictatorial laws. Things got worse when president decided to resort to drastic actions – On February 18th, special forces were now allowed to use traumatic weapons against. Two following days people spent fighting hard against the police that was trying to do anything to break the defense, like water cannons and even armored personnel carries. On the third day police forces realized that they can’t win the fight against the huge amount of people, so they started running away to Hrushevskogo street, where they started shooting unarmed protesters and medics, including women and teenagers. The only thing people had to protect themselves from snipers were wooden shields. Some revolutionists would get shot, but others wouldn’t give up, or leave them dying, people kept walking forward with thin wooden shields that couldn’t protect them from bullets, but would give them hope and belief that the entire nation can’t be stopped. More than a hundred people were killed and lots were injured that day, but thanks to them, revolution succeeded – president ran away to Russia, and the country started restoring from his destructive presidency.

1. “History of Euromaidan” Insider. Web. 16 November 2015
2. “History of Euromaidan: from the peaceful protests to bloody shooting” iPress.ua.21 November 2014. Web. 16 November 2015