My photos from Kiev (Ukraine) where in winter of 2013 - 2014 there happened mass protests against totalitarianism and corruption in Ukraine.
It all started with the fact that the President of Ukraine abolished the integration of Ukraine to European Union, and took a course on the dictatorial policies of Putin.
Yanukovych regime took place under the control of the Kremlin, which allowed to influence the Ukraine and exploit resources for profit. Ukraine - is European country , Ukrainians - freedom-loving people.
We will not admit dictatorship and human rights abuses.
Courageous decision to fight for their rights and freedom has caused mass protests in the capital.
November 30 police ordered by President Yanukovych very severely beat people who peacefully were protesting. After so blatant cruelty on Maydan Nezalezhnosty (the central square in Kiev, translates as Independence Square) came out more than a million protesters. Revolution in Kiev - one of the most beautiful events in which I participated.
On Maydan Nezalezhnosty reigns atmosphere of brotherhood and friendship.

Unfortunately, this periodically was marred by the fact that the police brutally beat protesters, causing sometimes peaceful protest was acquiring form of fight with death and blood. After this protests had spread throughout Ukraine.
Local protests which by analogy with the name of square in the Kiev - Maydan Nezalezhnosty started to calls "Maidan".
Ukrainian people are not want to accept the dictatorship of Putin, who wants to establish in Ukraine "puppet regime".

Most of these shots made in January, 19 on the Grushevskogo street in Kyiv. It was day of start of new level of Ukrainian Revolution.

January, 19 (it's the great Christian holiday - Baptism of Jesus) began with the fact that Kiev citizens brought for fighters from special brunch of strong guards "Berkut" a lot of soft toys. They used tactic of warm ocean, like a hippies with flowers in sixties...
On that day, it was necessary to prevent the adoption of crazy and unhuman laws. For example, you can not go out in the helmet. And everyone came to Maidan in the pans and scoops on the head. It was looks like a great festival of freaks.

But however, after few hours it became clear that peaceful revolution can not continue. People understood that government does not intend to comply with their requirements.

In air flew Molotov cocktails. People began to burn police buses.

Ukrainians for the first time, after two months of peaceful protests, showed their aggression.

Sure, you have a question - what's happens now in Ukraine?..
We answer you...

Unfortunately, the policy of Yanukovych led to a strong weakening of the Ukrainian economy.
Putin took advantage of this by false propaganda to the east and south of the country to create the illusion of desire for federalization of these lands.

Crimea was taken separatists (in April 2014) almost painlessly through illegal referendum. Russian government just announced that Crimea became Russian. Resist to this state of affairs could be the first step to wage war. Therefore Crimean residents had to put up with the seizure. Many workers of goverment had to put up and take Russian citizenship. Some could not accept this crazy situation, and left the Crimea.

The main objective of the separatists - to prevent holding of the elections of President in Ukraine, and to wage war, to get access to land in the Crimea and Transnistria.

However, the propaganda really influenced on only a small part in the general population of the social bottom. Alas, for these people were issued weapons, some promised power. They act like the real terrorists, unleashing civil war. Capture administrative buildings, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Security service, the courts; checkpoints on the roads, constant checks and inspections of all "suspicious" - methods of pro-Putin people...

Scenario coup here in the east of Ukraine copied by pro-Putin people from Maidan in Kiev. But these people are not cohesive, not amicable. Even having no personal position, to join the company separatists here in Donetsk (we're still here) absolutely would not be desirable. They are mostly drunk, aggressive and unable to properly explain his idea.

May 2 in Odessa tragedy occurred: in a skirmish between Russian separatists and locals clashed and people died. Police was bought separatists, and therefore did not save people.... Most of the dead - pro-Russian minded people.
However, we are can't to be happy when people dies.
We do not want war. We do not want to see death.
We do not want to kill.

We want to freedom...
We want to freedom...
We want to freedom...

Peace
Peace
Peace

More photos by alexandra_krolikowski