Blood Flowed Down The Hills of Kyiv - February 20th 2024

February 20th 2024

Yuriy recounts of the intense and tragic events during the beginning of the Ukrainian revolution, where unarmed protestors faced violent suppression by authorities, leading to the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war. He tells the story of courageous and resilient Ukrainians who fought for independence against corrupt regimes and foreign interference.

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TRANSCRIPT: (Podbean app users can enjoy closed captions)

  

It is February 20 

From the metallic pole, bullets ricochet with a soft musical ring. You managed to hear a "ding" on a high note and the quiet whistle of a bullet rapidly losing speed after hitting the steel. This sound is deceptively pleasant, almost calming. It was from this sound exactly 10 years ago when the war began. I remember this day very well, February 20th, 2014. For several months a huge tent camp had been set up in the center of Kyiv- unafraid of winter colds and other inconveniences, thousands of people stood gut there demanding the resignation of the thieving pro-Russian President, Victor Yanukovych.  

The riot police he sent kidnapped and killed the most active protestors since the first weeks of revolution, set ambushes and raid on the revolutionaries for weeks. But it was on February 20 that were authorities decided on an armed assault on the camp. Snipers settled on the rooftops, riflemen and riot police with shotguns occupied the streets around with square, with the protestors. The police force advanced, broke several barricades, burned tents, but then something incredible happened- tired freezing people with sticks and stones drove the regime's dogs away. They retreated, hiding behind the backs of conscript soldiers whom they used as a living shield and shot at unarmed people. Blood flowed down the hills of Kyiv. Terrified police officers sprayed the crowd with wallet of bullets. 

At some point, a man next to me fell like a thrown sack. A bullet hit him in the head and went through. He didn't even have time to scream. They loaded him onto makeshift stretchers, made of boards, and tried to carry him out of the firing zone. But the police hit the leg of one of walls carrying the corpse. He fell, but didn't scream or cry, just cursed those who had caused this bloody turmoil.

And although it was Ukrainian Riot police shooting at the protestors brought to Kyiv from all over the country, it was the first battle of Russo-Ukrainian war. And here's why. Protests in Ukraine began after Yanukovych refused to sign the long awaited agreement on cooperation with the European Union. He refused because Putin really did not want that, who approved and vetoed all important decisions over Ukrainian government. Having nominally gained independence from Moscow in 1991, in 2014 Ukraine had to reckon with what Russian rulers would want. 

And people got tired of it. We were tired of Yanukovych corrupt rule, tired of Russian managers sitting in all major enterprises and even government departments, Ukrainians were tired of being a colony and decided to truly become independent, so we went against the government. The riot police shooting at them, were not only defending Yanukovych, they were defending the order under which Russians could dictate their terms to Ukraine. 

And when this order fell along with Yanukovych fleeing to Russia with tracks of gold, the Russians started an open war. They entered Crimea, then the Donbas and in 2022 decided to finish off Ukraine once and for all. 

But Ukraine stood then, when people had nothing but faith in themselves and pieces of broken cobble stones. It'll stand now when instead of cobble stones, Ukrainians have guns in their hands.