Euromaidan (Ukrainian: Євромайдан, Yevromaidan, literally "Eurosquare") is a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on the night of 21 November 2013 with public protests demanding closer European integration. The scope of the protests expanded, with many calls for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych and his government. Many protesters joined because of the violent dispersal of protesters on 30 November and "a will to change life in Ukraine". By 25 January 2014, the protests had been fuelled by the perception of "widespread government corruption", "abuse of power", and "violation of human rights in Ukraine".The protests reached a climax during mid-February. On 18 February, the worst clashes of Euromaidan broke out after the parliament had failed to rollback the Constitution of Ukraine to its pre-2004 form, which would lessen presidential power and bring more balance to the government. Police and protesters fired guns, with both live and rubber ammunition, in multiple locations in Kyiv. The riot police advanced towards Maidan later in the day and clashed with the protesters and did not fully occupy it. The fights continued through the following days, in which the vast majority of casualties took place. On the night of 21 February, Maidan vowed to go into armed conflict if Yanukovych did not resign by 10:00. Subsequently, the riot police drew back and vanished and Yanukovych and many other high government officials fled the country. Protesters gained control of the presidential administration and Yanukovych's private estate. The next day, the parliament impeached Yanukovych, replaced the government with a pro-European one, and released Yulia Tymoshenko from prison. In the aftermath, the Crimean crisis began amid pro-Russian unrest.Despite the impeachment of Yanukovych, the installation of a new government, and the signature of the political provisions of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement, the protests have been ongoing to sustain pressure on the government, counter pro-Russian protests, and reject Russian occupation of Ukraine. The general area of the pro-Ukraine and pro-Europe protests has shifted to Kiev, East Ukraine, and South Ukraine from Kiev and West Ukraine.
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