Google – AFP, 20 February 2014
Protesters
advance towards new positions in Kiev on February 20, 2014 (AFP,
Louisa
Gouliamaki)
|
Washington
— The White House said Thursday it was "outraged" that Ukrainian
forces had turned automatic weapons on demonstrators as a short-lived truce
shattered in Kiev.
In a
statement, White House press secretary Jay Carney called for the withdrawal of
government forces from the front lines in the Ukrainian capital, but did not
specify what consequences there would be from Washington after its previous,
repeated calls for an end to violence were ignored.
"We
are outraged by the images of Ukrainian security forces firing automatic
weapons on their own people," Carney said.
"We
urge President (Viktor) Yanukovych to immediately withdraw his security forces
from downtown Kiev and to respect the right of peaceful protest, and we urge
protesters to express themselves peacefully."
Carney
urged the Ukrainian military not to get involved in a conflict that he said
should be resolved by political means and said Washington would work with its
allies to hold to account those responsible for violence.
On
Wednesday, Obama warned Ukraine's government of "consequences" if it
did not stop turning violence on peaceful protestors.
The
administration also put 20 top Ukrainian officials on a visa blacklist and
threatened further sanctions.
But fresh
violence erupted earlier Thursday, with raging street battles between
protestors and security forces.
More than
60 protesters died from gunshot wounds, according to an opposition medic,
making the day the bloodiest since Ukraine's independence.
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