PICTURES

Kiev crowd retakes square from police, possibly two dead

Smoke rises above burning barricades at Independence Square during anti-government protests in Kiev, Feb 20, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Smoke rises above burning barricades at Independence Square during anti-government protests in Kiev, Feb 20, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Protesters stand on barricades during clashes with police on Feb 20, 2014 in Kiev. -- PHOTO: AFP
Protesters stand behind barricades during a face-off against police on Feb 20, 2014 in Kiev. -- PHOTO: AFP
Protesters stand behind burning barricades during a face-off against police on Feb 20, 2014 in Kiev. -- PHOTO: AFP
Ukranian riot police clash with protestors on Feb 20, 2014 in Kiev. -- PHOTO: AFP
Protesters stand behind burning barricades during a face-off against police on Feb 20, 2014 in Kiev. Ukrainian protesters seized back Kiev's Independence Square in fresh clashes with riot police on Thursday, Feb 20, 2014, that left several injured and possibly two demonstrators dead. -- PHOTO: AFP

KIEV (REUTERS) - Ukrainian protesters seized back Kiev's Independence Square in fresh clashes with riot police on Thursday that left several injured and possibly two demonstrators dead.

The violence came after a truce declared late on Wednesday by President Viktor Yanukovich, who was due to meet the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland shortly in Kiev.

Ukrainian television showed two bodies lying on the ground near the square covered by blankets following violence shortly after 9am (0700GMT), when protesters surged forward into an area that had been taken by police in heavy fighting between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The anti-government militants hurled fireworks and other projectiles. Police fired stun grenades.

Later, television footage showed several injured protesters being led away by helpers and several riot policemen being led off in the square by opposition militants in combat fatigues.

Local media said parliament, a few hundred metres from the square, had been evacuated.

It was unclear how the violence would affect Yanukovich's meeting with the European Union delegation or the foreign ministers' plans to hold a news conference near the square later on Thursday morning.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.