烏克蘭首都陷入暴力衝突
The Ukrainian capital descended into violence last night as riot police stormed Independence Square in Kiev after the deadliest clashes seen during three months of anti-government protests.
烏克蘭首都昨晚陷入暴力衝突。在持續三個月的反政府抗議活動發生最血腥的對抗之後，防暴警察衝擊了基輔獨立廣場。At least nine people were confirmed to have been killed, including two police officers. Tens of thousands of protesters remained on the streets surrounding the square as the police moved in amid fires and explosions.
至少有14人經證實已被殺死，包括至少有6名警察。警方在火光和爆炸聲中衝擊獨立廣場時，數以萬計的抗議者留在廣場周邊的街道。Riot police battled with thousands of protesters in the square as they sought to clear a camp using water cannon and armoured vehicles following hours of street Fighting around the parliament building. Hardline protesters fought back with Molotov cocktails.
防暴警察與數千名示威者在廣場上打鬥。在議會大廈周圍發生持續數小時的街頭對抗之後，警方試圖用高壓水槍和裝甲車對一個抗議者營地進行清場。態度強硬的示威者則投擲燃燒瓶還擊。
The government said it would seal off the central district and that access to Kiev would be restricted from midnight after reports that protesters from western Ukraine were mobilising to join the protests.
政府表示，將封鎖中央區，而基輔的進出道路從午夜起將受到限制。此前有報道稱，烏克蘭西部的抗議者正在動員起來，準備加入示威行列。The renewed violence, which comes after several weeks of relative calm, is the latest twist in a battle that began in late November after Viktor Yanukovich, Ukraine’s president, backed away from signing far-reaching EU integration agreements.
經過幾個星期的相對平靜之後，此次暴力再度升級是始於11月下旬的一場鬥爭的最新發展。事情的起因是烏克蘭總統維克托•亞努科維奇(Viktor Yanukovich)退出了簽署影響深遠的歐盟一體化協議。Mr Yanukovich instead tilted Ukraine towards Moscow, which granted a $15bn bailout for the country’s ailing economy, prompting protesters to take to the streets of Kiev and other leading cities. They are demanding that a caretaker government be formed to sign the EU agreements.
相反，亞努科維奇讓烏克蘭向俄羅斯傾斜，後者向經濟陷於困境的烏克蘭提供150億美元紓困，這促使抗議者走上基輔和其他主要城市的街頭。他們要求組成一個看守政府，簽署歐盟協議。Fighting had raged throughout the day in the blocks around Ukraine’s parliament and presidential buildings. Television footage showed police snipers shooting what looked to be stun grenades and rubber bullets from the roofs of nearby buildings, forcing protesters to use makeshift shields to protect themselves.
在烏克蘭議會和總統大廈周圍街區，激戰持續了一整天。電視畫面顯示，警方狙擊手似乎在從附近建築物的屋頂發射眩暈榴彈和橡皮子彈，迫使示威者用自制的盾牌來保護自己。Some protesters wearing camouflage, military helmets and bulletproof vests responded with what appeared to be handguns, although it was not clear whether they were firing rubber or live bullets.
一些身穿迷彩服和防彈背心、戴着軍用頭盔的抗議者似乎在用手槍回擊，但不清楚他們在發射橡皮子彈還是實彈。“We see that this regime again has begun shooting people; they want to sink Ukraine in blood. We will not give in to a single provocation,’’ opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the protesters.
“我們正看到這個政權再次開始對人民開槍，他們要血洗烏克蘭。我們不會對任何挑釁讓步，”反對黨領袖阿爾謝尼•雅採紐克(Arseniy Yatsenyuk)對抗議者表示。“We will not take one step back from this square. We have nowhere to retreat to,” he added
“我們不會從這個廣場後退一步。我們也沒有地方可以退守，”他補充說。There was no immediate comment from Mr Yanukovich. Leonid Kozhara, foreign minister, urged the international community to condemn “radical forces” that have orchestrated “armed attacks on government organs”.
亞努科維奇沒有立即發表評論。烏克蘭外交部長列昂尼德•科扎拉(Leonid Kozhara)敦促國際社會譴責“激進勢力”，稱其策劃了“對政府機關的武裝襲擊”。Lady Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, condemned the violence and urged Ukraine’s leadership to “address the root causes of the crisis”.
歐盟外交政策負責人阿什頓夫人(Lady Ashton)譴責暴力行爲，並敦促烏克蘭領導層“應對危機的根源”。“Political leaders must now assume their shared responsibility to rebuild trust and create the conditions for an effective solution,” she said.
“政治領導人現在必須承擔起共同的責任，重建信任，爲達成有效的解決方案創造條件，”她表示。
