Ukrainian President calls for a truce

(Updated)

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has called for a truce, just a day after 25 people were killed in Independence Square. In the meantime the Canadian Embassy is now closed in Kyiv for safety reasons.

Fires continue to burn as protestors remain defiant, but government forces aren’t backing down either.

For the second time in as many days local Ukrainians gathered at the Consulate in Toronto to rally in solidarity with protesters in Kyiv, calling for harsher sanctions against Ukraine, and for President Yanukovych to step down.

Hundreds of people flying the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag gathered once more on Lakeshore West, and for everyone there, it’s personal.

Krystina Waler was part of the protests in Independence Square just a few weeks ago. Yesterday, her friend Shish-ko Alexander was standing on maiden helping rebuild the barricades when he fell victim to the violence.

“A grenade hit him in the head. He went for operations and unfortunately this morning he passed away.”

Alexander had worked with orphan children in Ukraine to teach them about their culture and tradition.

One of the rally’s organizers, Marc Shwec, says he thinks President Yanukovych has called today’s truce to buy time because he is under pressure.

“He has lied on at least two occasions saying we’re doing truces. In December, and then he attacked the students. On January 16th he put in severe laws saying I want to speak and then attacked the demonstrators.”

Others, like Alex Chernysh, a Ukrainian Canadian, find hope in the word “truce.”

“Maybe the government has understood that the protesters have not given up. They are very very determined. Those young men and women they are very determined. They will not give up.”