Kyiv Locked Down As Hundreds Protest Ukraine's Government

[TomSea]

Kyiv Locked Down As Hundreds Protest Ukraine's Government

KYIV -- Ukrainian authorities locked down the heart of the capital on November 15 as hundreds of demonstrators protested outside government buildings over poor economic conditions and rising prices for vital necessities such as natural gas and bread.

Police vehicles and officers in riot gear blocked streets around Kyiv's government quarter and stood guard with bomb-sniffing dogs in front of the presidential administration, the central bank, and parliament, where crowds braved freezing cold to demand lower utility prices and higher pensions.

Government officials claimed the protests marked the start of a Kremlin-orchestrated plan to "destabilize" Ukraine, which faces economic difficulties and a simmering war against Russia-backed separatists who hold parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces in the east.

Read More At: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-kyiv-hundreds-protest-government-poor-economy-rising-prices/28119136.html