Ukraine is free!

It’s hard to believe what has happened in just a few days – as many as 80 Ukrainian citizens were killed and hundreds injured in the streets of Kyiv within the past week. It was terrifying and horrifying. But the revolution was quick, and not nearly as bloody as it could have been. The now-deposed president Viktor Yanukovich fled the capital, and is believed to have tried to flee the country. Parliament voted with an overwhelming majority on Saturday to remove him from power, and acted swiftly to restore order and the rule of law. There are still many issues to be dealt with, but the main objective of the Maidan, the people’s protests, have been fulfilled – the terribly corrupt Yanukovich and his cronies are gone.

The stunningly opulent estate that Yanukovich made his own, property he stole from the state in one of his many shady arrangements, was opened to the public on Saturday. This article shows just the beginning of what has been found there. If you want to see more photos and videos, just search for “Mezhyhirya” – new reports are being added almost hourly, it seems. As the article states, if you want to know what Ukrainians have been fighting for, the pictures of this estate should explain a lot.

We celebrate the victory of Maidan, and we mourn the martyrs of Maidan. I am in awe of the Ukrainian people, who finally and truly held their government responsible – and insisted on what we in the United States insisted on 238 years ago – a government of the people, by the people, and most importantly, FOR the people.

There is a long road ahead to healing and reconciliation, and to building a free, democratic nation, but Ukraine is on that road now.

Thank you to everyone who has thought about us, written to us, worried about us. I am thrilled to have a front seat to the history being made right now, and let us hope that the suffering and loss of life were not in vain.

Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!

Euromaidan, continued

Many of you are writing today – thank you for being aware of what is happening in Kyiv, and for thinking of us. Igor and I are safe. Sadly, many Ukrainians are not tonight. After a very short and tenuous truce, violence broke out this morning in central Kyiv. Demonstrators had planned a march to Parliament, and police blocked them. Who threw the first stone? Who knows? Maybe both sides, probably provocateurs. Clearly both sides were ready to fight.

Sadly, at least 8 people are confirmed dead, there will be more before morning. Hundreds have been injured. We live next to a hospital, and I counted 45 ambulances bringing the injured throughout the day. More were brought by private citizens in their own cars. Around 6pm I stopped counting the ambulances, but in the 5 hours since, they have continued to arrive every few minutes. And this is just one of the many hospitals in central Kyiv receiving the injured today. It is devastating to see the flashing lights and hear the sirens constantly.

It is surreal tonight, watching the live feeds from Independence Square, where the demonstrators are singing the national anthem as the riot police surround them and steadily move in. I fear there will be a bloodbath tonight. Some independent TV channels are offline; the metro (subway) is closed; roads into Kyiv are blocked to prevent more supporters from joining the people; cell service is reportedly blocked on/around Independence Square.

I can report that our internet, phones and cable TV are working at home, about 1.5-2 miles from Independence Square. Except, of course, the TV channels that have been blocked to the whole country.

You can follow me on Twitter now, @ankabelle. You can watch the live feed from Independence Square on Espreso TV. It is not easy to watch, and will not be any better as the night progresses.

Please consider donating to Medical Help for Maidan. They have already helped dozens of injured over the past 3 months, and after today, many, many more people will need urgent and long-term medical care. This is an excellent group, doing very brave work. Every dollar donated goes directly to help injured people from EuroMaidan. Thank you!

We are safe, just very tense and very worried for the brave people on Maidan.