Riot police in Ukraine have stormed makeshift barricades and chased protesters away from the site of violent clashes in the center of Kyiv, RFE/RL reported.
Pitched battles continued in the streets, however, with protesters throwing stones and petrol bombs and police firing tear gas and rubber bullets and beating protesters with truncheons. Police also brought in an armored personnel carrier, as the sky was blackened by smoke from tires set alight by protesters.
Riot police earlier on January 22 tried to storm the barricades but were pushed back by protesters.
The renewed violence came as two men were confirmed dead of gunshot wounds.
Activists said the men were shot dead by police. One of the victims was identified as Serhiy Nikoyan, a 20-year-old ethnic Armenian.
A medic, Ihor Petrovich, said one of the men had died shortly after he was brought into their makeshift hospital.
“[The cause of his death], according to the preliminary conclusion, are bullet wounds in the neck area, in the back of his head, and in the right side of the chest, the area of lungs.”
The Interior Ministry said police did not use live ammunition.
A third protester reportedly died after falling from the top of a ceremonial entrance to the Dynamo Kyiv football stadium, adjacent to the clashes.
Yanukovych, who held a crisis meeting with opposition leaders, urged protesters not to follow “political radicals.” A statement said Yanukovych had ordered a “thorough investigation” of the deaths.
Earlier, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said the anti-government protests had brought “terrorists” onto the streets and warned that all “criminal actions” would be punished.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton strongly condemned the escalating violence. Her spokeswoman, Maja Kocijancic, said, “the [EU] high representative calls on the government and the opposition to engage in a genuine dialogue at the highest level and find a political solution to the crisis and this solution must meet the aspirations of the people.”
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned Ukraine of “possible action” in response to the violence.