The Ukrainian people lend support and solidarity to Kiev protesters

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday had special words of greeting for the Ukrainian Cardinals who were participating in the morning Consistory Session in the Vatican.

His expression of concern, in light of ongoing unrest in their homeland, follows his appeal on Wednesday in which he called for peace in Ukraine and assured the people of his closeness.

Meanwhile on Friday Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich signed an agreement with three opposition leaders to end the crisis that sparked violent clashes between “Maidan” protesters and police on the streets of the capital Kiev.

Ukrainian Police claim 77 people have been killed in the violence, protesters say the death toll is much higher. Thousands more have been injured.

Vatican Radio’s Linda Bordoni spoke to Bogdan Voron, a reporter in Kiev and the creator of one of the “Maidan” art projects that are part of the protest movement.

He says the people are relieved at today’s development but thousands are grieving…

Listen to the interview…

Voron says that on the central Maidan Nezalezhnosti Square where the fighting took place people are cleaning up and setting up new barricades.

He says on Thursday “snipers killed dozens of unarmed peaceful protesters Their average age was 23. They were students, university teachers, farmers”.

He says that after the unbelievable bloodshed and violence perpetrated by the Police, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted a law which stops so-called “anti-terroristic” operations allowing police to use guns.

Now the police are moving back from the Square, they are leaving their posts in the Government district and the street s are empty.

Voron says the Municipal police are so frightened they are nowhere to be seen on the streets, especially at night.

Some of the police from the Western city of Lviv have arrived in Kiev to protect the protesters. He says they wear special signs on their uniforms showing that they are on the side of the protesters. He says they are now patrolling the streets together with the Maidan self-defense units.

Voron confirms news that the Mayor of Kiev has passed to the protesters’ s side and says that a lot of deputies and members of the ruling Government Party have also left the Party.

He says the people are hopeful that the prospected clean-up operation in the form of a proper investigation will prevent people with blood on their hands from occupying official posts.

He stresses that the aim of the Maidan movement is to make things better for the people of Ukraine and says that a lot of things need to be changed, “but they must be changed in a proper way, through Parliament, adopting laws that will protect the people”.

Voron says the terrible violence that he has witnessed reminds him of what happened in former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. He says “people are so horrified that they have been moved, and this has caused a new peaceful uprising.

He says people stand unarmed and block the police bases and army camps.

Voron tells of a regiment of paratroopers that were “blocked in their camp in Central Ukraine by local villagers: old ladies, old men and children that didn’t want those soldiers to go to Kiev to shoot the demonstrators”.