Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom | Full Feature | Netflix

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[protestors shouting]
[gunshots]
[man 1 speaking Ukrainian] Do something.
Do something for the revolution.
[man 2 speaking Ukrainian] I'm filming.
-This is the Ukrainian Revolution. -[shouting continues]
It's fun.
-They're shooting over there! -[gunshots]
Don't go there!
Don't go there! They're shooting over there!
There, he fell.
I was just dragging a dead body.
I stepped in blood. You can't surprise me with anything.
You thought it would be easy, just go to Maidan,
hang out a little and then go back?
Not me. I always wanted to be on the front lines.
[man] That's it. He's dead.
[men shouting in Ukrainian]
[narrator speaking English] For centuries, the Ukraine has existed
at the axis between east and west.
In 1991, Ukraine declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
In 2004, pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych,
wins the presidential vote.
The election was found to be rigged,
as a result, the people take to the streets
in a peaceful protest called the Orange Revolution.
They are successful and the election results are overturned.
During the years following,
Ukraine struggles to find economic stability.
2010, Yanukovych returns.
This time the election is confirmed and he regains full control.
While promising EU membership to the public,
Yanukovych secretly negotiates a competing alignment with Russia.
In fall 2013, a key milestone approaches
as Yanukovych appears ready to sign an association with the EU.
Yet, as the people look to the west, their leader turns to the east,
and the future of the nation hangs in the balance.
[in Ukrainian] There is no alternative to the integration with the EU.
[Ekaterina Averchenko] Something was promised to people,
everything was working toward this,
and then...
[Mustafa Nayyem] On November 21st,
Prime Minister Azarov said they were not signing the agreement.
It was hard to make a decision to stop the process
of signing the EU Free Trade Agreement.
-[people chanting] -Listen, listen, you can always scream.
We know you can scream.
It's a big step backwards, not just a step of one generation,
but all the way back to my grandparents in the USSR.
This... outraged people, not just because times are tough now,
but they also stole our children's future.
My friend wrote me on Facebook,
"Did you see Mustafa's call to come to Maidan?"
STATUS UPDATE
I said, "Yes, I saw it."
[Averchenko] I was working late.
I opened Facebook and the first post I saw said
to come to Maidan.
I closed my laptop.
The next time I opened it was a month and a half later.
[Maksim Panov] Everything began here on Maidan.
First, there were about 300-400 people.
We were looking at each other and saying,
"Where are these thousands of people that Mustafa called?"
People gradually began to come out
from the subway and public transport,
and in half an hour there were already thousands of people.
[Olena Stadnik] The next day, people woke up and went to Maidan.
Despite the rain, we were here.
[man] I came here because several days ago,
our government crossed out the future of Ukraine,
and the aspirations of Ukrainian youth.
I came here to defend my future,
the future of my children, compatriots and country.
Vitali Klitschko came to Maidan when he saw that a huge crowd was gathering there.
He brought his truck with the banner of his political party
but people made him take it away.
[overlapping chatter]
In general, these were people indifferent to politics.
-[chanting] Ukraine is part of Europe! -[horn blowing]
[Nayyem] When students started to mass together,
it became clear that something was gonna happen.
[chanting] Ukraine is part of Europe!
[chanting continues]
[chanting continues]
What energy there was! I have no words to express it!
Some people outside Maidan were angry with us,
saying, "It's like a festival, not a protest.
You are just standing, singing songs and dancing."
We are standing here to prove that Ukraine is a European country,
to reverse the existing political regime.
We dream of a better future. [giggles]
[Katya Korniyko] I went to a café,
and I sat at a table with some of the students,
and I fell in love with these kids,
because their souls are so pure, and they believe in Ukraine so much.
[cheering]
Look at the people, how inspired they are,
not because of alcohol or drugs, but because of togetherness.
[chanting] Together, till the end!
I'm applauding for those who came out for European integration.
[Averchenko] People came out because the government promised them
to make an agreement with the European Union,
so we'll finally have steps to live as a European country...
like a part of the civil world.
-[cheering] -[chanting] Sign!
Yanukovych, sign the agreement!
Sign!
[man] This is our document!
We gathered in Maidan,
to demand our politicians sign the agreement with the EU!
We're waiting on tomorrow's signing.
[man 2] The Maidan of 2004 started the same way.
People were standing for their rights, and they proved that we have the power.
[chanting] Do what we want!
[reporter speaking Ukrainian] A miracle didn't happen,
and European Union leaders and Ukraine have failed to sign
an historic free trade deal after a last minute U-turn from Kyiv.
[chanting in Ukrainian] Shame!
[overlapping chant] Convict out!
Shame! Shame!
[Nayyem] There were quite a lot of police. They began encircling Maidan.
Police cars were approaching.
During the whole day we had the feeling,
that the Berkut Special Forces had been preparing for something.
[woman] I'd like to pronounce one word:
Re-vo-lu-tion.
[all chanting] Re-vo-lu-tion!
[chanting continues]
[chanting] Take down the regime!
[chanting] The police with the people!
[protestors shouting]
Girls stood in the center, and boys filled the stairs.
The girls began to sing the national anthem.
[protestors singing]
[overlapping shouts]
[man] Stop!
Stop!
[man screaming]
I'm falling!
[woman shrieking]
What the hell are you doing? Why?
[screaming]
[man] Be careful!
The troops beat everyone with iron sticks instead of plastic ones.
It seemed that even they were surprised
by injuries they had made using them.
[man] Why?
My friends called me and I heard people screaming and crying,
and I immediately understood what was going on.
And you want to cry, to run, to break something,
because you realize you can't do anything to stop this mass destruction machine.
[overlapping shouts]
There were girls! Kids were there!
They pushed the 18-year-old girl and started beating her.
They beat people in the back, people fell down,
but they continued beating them.
I just wanted to find a girl that got lost there.
But they didn't understand that and started beating.
They didn't act like human beings.
When I asked them why,
they answered, "Be grateful you're not being arrested."
The motto, "police with people" is absolutely incorrect,
because all of them stand entirely with the asshole president.
There are such bastards in the police,
that I'm not surprised that our president is such a person as Yanukovych.
[Eduard Kurganskyi] People who managed to escape from Maidan,
moved to Mykhaylivs'kyi zolotoverkhyi Monastery.
[man] My friend is injured,
he has a concussion and he's in the hospital now.
My wife's arm is heavily bruised.
I feel well enough, although my head is injured.
It's nothing serious.
I wanted to take away his stick,
but another Berkut came,
and shattered my eye with his stick.
[Vladimir Kugilyov] At 7:30 a.m., the Berkut pulled up.
Their bus stopped at the gate.
What do you want from us?
-Hello, how are you there? -Oh, come on, stop these provocations.
Provocations? You are the one who broke into the church.
-Take away your bus and leave! -I said we won't hurt you, okay?
-I said we won't hurt you. -You should've thought of that earlier.
[indistinct conversations]
[girl] At the monastery, we tried to understand what had happened.
[girl 2] We were afraid.
And if we don't want to be afraid tomorrow,
we have to come out and defend our position today.
[chanting]
[Oleksandr Melnyk] Around 11:00 a.m., there was no free space.
The monastery was filled to capacity.
We opened a food center...
and a drop-off to provide warm clothes.
We put tables over there, and created a legal aid center.
The medical center was near that wall.
An information center was also here.
[Ruslana Lyzhychko] The government wanted to stop this at the grassroots level,
but the reaction was opposite.
[overlapping shouts]
[Nayyem] For Ukrainians and the country,
it was the first time when the government so openly and brutally
demonstrated they're against peaceful protests.
Ukraine, wake up!
People started protesting because they're sick and tired.
At this point, it's not even about European integration anymore.
People just want to live in freedom.
[man 1] Please don't let them provoke you!
[man 2] We are not going to leave. People from all regions of Ukraine...
VINNYTSYA LUGANSK
...should come to Kyiv and support us.
Our aim is to reverse the existing political regime.
[horns honking]
[Diana Popova] I have never seen such concentration of testosterone
as at Mykhaylivs'ka Square on November 30th,
when strong men came out to declare
that no one will ever hurt children in this country.
[chanting] Shame! Shame!
No bruise will be forgotten!
No beating must be forgotten!
[cheering]
[chanting] All together, we are strong!
We have to organize a nationwide strike,
and deprive the government the right to perform any actions!
-Enough! Take action! -[cheers and applause]
Kyiv, stand up!
Everyone realized that if today students are beaten...
tomorrow, anyone can be beaten as well.
From that came the "March of the Millions."
Such rallies of a million people were our hope to be heard.
[chanting] To Maidan!
[Anna Levitanskaja] There were people with baby strollers, elders,
disabled people on crutches... It was amazing!
We realized that we could change something.
WE ARE AGAINST THE POLICE STATE
ONLY A COWARD CAN HURT A CHILD
[chanting] They give us corruption! We give them revolution!
[Volodymyr Parasyuk] Everyday people, teachers,
doctors, street cleaners,
everyone, the whole country said, "This must stop!"
[Svyatoslav Vakarchuk] I'd like all of us to remember
that there are two European values:
freedom and human dignity.
And no one can deprive us of them.
These are fundamental rights that we must fight for.
Today all of us are here, regardless of our political views,
people from different cities, from all over Ukraine,
speaking different languages.
We all came here to fight for one thing: for our freedom, our dignity.
Ukraine, we are all together!
[cheers and applause]
[Said Ismagilov] One million people, outraged by such barbaric cruelty.
They showed the government must not enrage the nation.
This inspired me very much.
Our people are not without rights and they are not cowards.
[man] Brothers and sisters!
Yanukovych and his gang raised a hand against our children!
He thought that we would be scared and hide!
[cheering]
Many of us were feeling very angry.
My friends said they were going to Bankova Street,
because they wanted revenge for the beatings of the girls.
[Alexander Pyvovarov] All of them were so furious
about what happened.
I could see anger in their faces and acts.
And everyone seriously thought
that the presidential headquarters could be seized.
In the front lines there were people wearing masks...
but as far as I could see,
there were average boys and girls standing in the crowd behind.
[chanting] Police with the people!
No aggression! Only peaceful protest!
We have beautiful people here who want change,
but let's get real, we are outnumbered!
If we want revolution to happen, we need to involve them, not hit them!
[Vladimir Makarevich] There were provocateurs there
planted by the Berkut.
To give them a reason to storm and beat everyone.
[shouting]
-[man shouting in Ukrainian] -[explosion]
[Pyvovarov] The police threw stun grenades,
and dispersed tear gas into the crowd.
-[explosion] -[man speaking Ukrainian]
[groaning]
[explosion]
[overlapping shouts]
[metal clanging]
[explosion]
[explosion]
[gunshots]
[explosion]
[shouting]
[Pyvovarov] One of the Berkut policemen ran to me and hit my leg.
It hurt so much, I couldn't walk or even stand.
Some of the Red Cross medical workers pushed me into the nearest house
and protected me with their backs.
Berkut beat up all these guys.
They shielded me with their backs and saved me.
[Timur Ibraimov] My friend was beaten much more than the others
while he was lying on the ground.
He is indifferent to politics.
He is an average man...
like most of us who were standing on the Maidan.
[man] Call the ambulance! We can't help him.
I have only one question: Why?
Aren't you Ukrainian too?
[man 2] We need a doctor!
[man coughing]
People of Maidan asked officers in reserve for help.
We gathered, moved to Maidan and started to construct barricades.
What was good about Maidan was self-organization.
Everyone knew what they needed to do, and they did it on their own.
[protestors chanting]
KYIV CITY STATE ADMINISTRATION
[Kurganskyi] Protesters occupied the Kyiv City State Administration Building.
It was a radical act that formed the new face of Maidan.
[piano music playing]
THE NATION IS INVINCIBLE
I began providing food for people on Maidan.
I found out what they needed, warm clothes, hats, blankets...
I was shocked how people stood in the street
despite such cold weather all this time.
I admire the courage of these people.
[Sergei Kibnovsky] I was on Maidan from the beginning.
I saw how the students were staying here in Maidan...
I was worried about them, and live not too far from here.
[Averchenko] It was a spontaneous idea,
to stay in Maidan until everybody hears you.
Until the world hears you.
-[man speaking over loudspeaker] -[crowd cheering]
We are a European nation and we will fight for our future!
I'm asking you one more time, I'm begging you,
don't carry out the orders of Convict Yanukovych.
Come to the side of your nation!
Come to the side of your nation!
[camera shutters clicking]
[Makarevich] During the negotiations, while the whole world was watching
how a free Ukrainian nation will overcome this situation,
the government decided to act
in the most disgraceful and sneaky way ever.
[chanting]
The Berkut showed up and surrounded Maidan.
They wanted to clear Maidan.
[Nayyem] They had shields, helmets and body armor,
while we were unarmed.
[man] Those who gave the command,
don't commit the greatest crime in the country's history.
Don't do this, please!
[protestors chanting] Shame! Shame!
All the women were sent to the stage, so they wouldn't get hurt...
while the men somehow tried to hold off the Berkut.
[overlapping shouts]
[Kibnovsky] We were standing hand in hand...
and didn't know what would happen next.
We just hoped for the best.
We couldn't allow any provocation.
On the count of one, they started pushing us.
We felt like we were squeezed.
The pressure of Berkut was so huge
it started to break up the hand-chain of the Maidan protesters.
-[crowd singing] -[man speaking Ukrainian]
[Nayyem] I started singing the anthem, even though it was hard.
[all singing Ukrainian national anthem]
But when you hear it...
your hands become stronger.
It wasn't fear, but apprehension.
"What if they manage to break us up?"
We weren't afraid of being hurt.
We were afraid that the idea of Maidan would be extinguished.
People called me at 1:30 a.m.
I was getting so many calls.
-I realized I had to act. -[bell tolling]
So with Bishop Agapit's blessing,
my friends and I started ringing all the bells.
Today, December 11th, 2013,
they are trying to wipe out Maidan.
Mykhalyvs'kyi Monastery is doing something in order to prevent that.
The last time Mykhalyvs'kyi Monastery rang all the bells...
was in 1240 when the Mongol-Tatars invaded Kyiv.
-[bells tolling] -[overlapping shouts]
[Averchenko] I was afraid that people would only know
about what had happened from the morning TV news again.
Then I saw my friends arriving,
leaving their cars in the street and running.
When people were going to Maidan on foot...
no one could stop it!
[cheering]
[Kurganskyi] Lots of drivers picked up people
far from the city center
and brought them to Maidan.
[chanting]
[man] More and more Kyiv citizens came. Finally, there were about 15,000 of us.
So the Berkut couldn't do anything.
[Popova] That night of December 11th
showed how important the spirit of unity is.
[in English] I want to really pay tribute to the courageous people.
I was in Maidan last evening, as some of you will know,
and I followed events through the night.
I want to say right at the beginning that I really do condemn the use of force.
It's totally unacceptable.
Especially when, like me, you've had the chance to see
how people are demonstrating peacefully.
More than anything, the message that I've been giving over these last days
has been the importance of dialog
and the importance of listening to what people are saying.
[Kurganskyi speaking Russian] It didn't matter anymore
how much money and efforts
would be needed to achieve the aim.
The point was human dignity.
[man 1] Glory to Ukraine! [men] Glory to the heroes!
[man 2] Maidan taught Ukrainian youth how to organize ourselves.
[all yelling]
Now we know that our plans might become real.
We can change this country on our own.
[man 3] We just took bags and filled them with snow and water.
We used them to build robust constructions.
Even when it got warmer, the barricades didn't melt at once.
Finally, they became our solid foundations.
We found welding materials, rods and welded spike strips.
We made more massive and durable constructions.
[Makarevich] When people saw these barricades,
they said they looked like historical barricades from the 16th century.
So why wouldn't we use the laws, rules,
and hierarchy of our ancestors?
This brought about the creation of Maidan Defense Units.
[Aleksandr Starodub] Some Maidan Defense Units
were named after the home towns of its participants.
WE ARE FORMING A WOMEN'S RAPID REACTION UNIT
People came to Maidan to win.
This was a people's army,
and of course, I came to train this army.
I taught them how to resist the attacks
of these monsters in uniforms.
[Makarevich] We began to gather and train how to behave correctly,
how to defend ourselves and our friends,
how to control our emotions not to provoke others,
and how to act legally in tense situations.
We were patrolling the perimeter of Maidan,
guarding and defending people.
We were doing our best to keep order.
There was not even a single bottle of beer on Maidan and it's a fact.
The activists of Maidan were people who stood here...
[horns honking]
while the activists of AutoMaidan were the car owners.
They were like an outer circle, the cavalry of Maidan.
[horns honking]
[Roman Savelyev] It was my school.
I never went to school before.
But I am staying here in Maidan.
I volunteered in the tech tent.
I was charging phones and helping people,
and helping people use the Internet so they can connect with their families.
[newscaster in Ukrainian] President Yanukovych
entered into an agreement with Russia
and by doing so he distanced the country even further from the EU.
[Savelyev speaking Russian] I'm against Yanukovych.
He's not good for us as a president.
His Berkut beat a woman in front of my eyes.
They beat girls, they beat boys. They even beat me.
When I came here, I found many friends.
All of them are like my brothers.
I started writing stories on my Facebook page
about people who came to Maidan.
I'd like to write a story about you.
-Really? Where have you seen me? -I see you here every day.
I communicated with Serhiy Nigoyan,
I was writing a story about him and where he came from.
That girl has drawn my portrait?
I'm supposed to live in this country. This is my future, why I stay here.
All of us, we are one.
Brother for brother, neighbor for neighbor.
In Maidan, we didn't have nationalities, we didn't have language groups.
It was only people who didn't want to live with the regime.
[protestors chanting]
[low chanting]
[Shevchuk] From the very beginning,
the representatives of all religions were on Maidan,
as the "Men of Prayer."
[Agapit] We tried to help people of all means,
not only by prayer, we communicated with people.
We tried to put their hearts into what they were doing,
and keep their faith.
We supported people in their aspirations,
concerning not only their future, but also the future of our state.
Different religions came together without conflict,
in order to achieve one mutual and important goal.
[all singing]
[Bogdan Dubas] You know, when people were singing
the national anthem every three hours,
I had a feeling that it became a prayer.
-[woman singing Ukrainian national anthem] -[crowd singing along]
[man] Glory to Ukraine! [all] Glory to the heroes!
[man] Glory to Ukraine! [all] Glory to the heroes!
-Glory to Ukraine! -Glory to the heroes!
Happy New Year, Ukraine!
[electronic buzzing]
[Shevchuk] Instead of conducting negotiations,
the government chose to unleash a bacchanalia of dictatorship.
[man] Vote by raising your hands.
We live in the 21st century in a civilized country,
and our lawmakers in the parliament vote by raising hands?
What a show! Come on! What are you doing, guys?
You vote and adopt a series of stupid, tyrannical laws!
It's absurd!
According to these laws, you can't wear motorcycle helmets and hard hats,
you can't drive a group of 5 cars at once,
even at weddings and funerals.
I found my ski helmet and an old camouflage jacket
and wore them to work.
I told them, "You can arrest me any time".
[Yuriy Krivenko] People were wearing pots, diving masks and flippers.
They took anything they could find.
[protestor] You see a lot of people wearing kitchen pots.
They forgot to put that in these laws. They should add that immediately.
[Krivenko] The people interpreted it with such irony and defiance.
Every 20th person showed the government
how pissed off they were with these so-called "laws".
[protestors chanting]
The catalyst were the laws passed on January 16th.
That weekend we had a veche.
Every weekend we had a veche, a meeting of the people in Maidan.
It's already been two months and no results!
This is the 9th veche, and we need a concrete plan!
On Sunday, the opposition leaders came out to the stage,
but hadn't said anything worthwhile again.
[crowd chanting] Shame!
People were so disappointed by their lack of action,
they decided to tell these politicians where to get off.
[Sergey Coba] I'm one of you.
Everyone knows about AutoMaidan and what we are doing for Ukraine.
We are standing by your side.
We'll march peacefully to the Parliament,
and we'll stand there as long as it takes.
Those who agree, raise your hands!
Thank you!
I'm calling to all lawmakers of Ukraine.
You are chosen by the people!
Each of you must come to the Parliament
and cancel these shameful laws!
Otherwise tomorrow, we'll be arrested and thrown in jail!
For what? For expressing our civil rights?
[crowd cheering]
[horns honking]
[Averchenko] For 30 minutes we were trying to persuade the police to back down,
and let us approach the Parliament peacefully.
That's it.
-They responded by cursing at us. -[crowd chanting]
[man] I appeal to police.
You gave an oath to serve the Ukrainian nation,
not to Yanukovych and his gang!
Free the way for peaceful citizens!
[man 2] While standing in the right flank,
we tried to find a compromise with the Internal Troops peacefully.
Turmoil began in the left flank.
[man 3] Vitali Klitschko and other opposition
party leaders tried to pacify the crowd,
but the protesters didn't listen to them.
-[protestors chanting] -[loud bang]
At this point they had no authority or influence anymore.
People were disillusioned
by their inability to take real responsibility for something.
[crowd shouting]
[Lyzhychko] There, on Hrushevskogo, everyone's patience ran out.
In what country in the world would people be able to live with these laws?
It's easier to go directly to prison.
[crowd chanting]
[explosions]
[shouting]
[Starodub] Can you imagine?
Infuriating people to such despair
that a banker and one of the most influential attorneys from Lviv
came to Hrushevskogo Street to throw stones at the police.
[shields clanking]
[explosion]
[shouting]
[explosion]
[Krivenko] Strategically our position on Hrushevskogo Street was very unfavorable.
But it was a perfect vantage-ground for the Internal Troops.
[Pyvovarov] They started shooting at us with rubber bullets.
They also attached bolts and screws to stun grenades,
so they caused as much damage as possible.
[explosion]
[overlapping chatter]
The Ukrainian people will determine who's in charge.
We chose this president, and we can take him out.
[rhythmic banging]
[Kristina Berdinskikh] People were not afraid here.
It was more frightening to watch all these events on TV,
than to come here to participate in them.
[drumming]
[tin clanking]
[thumping]
[clattering]
From here, we were throwing Molotov cocktails and stones.
[Savelyev] Take gas, machine oil and saltpeter,
mix it together and shake well.
Take a cloth rag and make a wick,
light it up and throw.
[protestors chanting]
Convict out!
[loud explosion]
[chanting]
[man whistles]
Mostly here we were burning tires,
so the fire could keep the Berkut from attacking us.
[rhythmic clanking]
[Makarevich] After several days of hard resistance...
people were very exhausted.
[man] Glory to Ukraine! [all] Glory to the heroes!
[Makarevich] And at sunrise, when everyone was extremely tired,
Berkut realized...
"It's the right moment to attack. Let's clean up this place."
[explosions]
People on our side were disorganized and confused.
Protesters and civilians mixed with policemen,
mixed with the soldiers, a chaotic jumble.
When they attack people, the police went first,
behind them were the Berkut followed by the Titushky.
Titushky are hired thugs, who have no dignity or conscience.
They sold themselves out for money.
Many of them were released from prison,
criminals that were hired to do this job.
-[men laughing] -We're here for an idea.
[man 1] You're standing here in the cold for an idea?
[man 2] We want to keep order in Ukraine.
[Andrey Yanchenko] Titushky... they don't have principles.
For less than ten bucks,
they are willing to not only wave a flag, but also to kill.
[Savelyev] Titushky love only money.
They betrayed the Ukrainian nation.
[Havryliuk] Titushky were standing behind me,
waiting for the right moment,
and they knocked me to the ground.
After that, some Berkut ran up to me and I got captured.
[man] Bring him back!
Bring him fucking back!
[Makarevich] They tried to dishonor him, but instead dishonored themselves.
He stood with his head held high. He behaved with dignity.
It caused a great emotional outburst among people.
-[protestors shouting] -[rhythmic banging]
[Savelyev] People were standing 15 feet from a Berkut policeman,
and he was shooting without stopping.
But people took sticks and started attacking him.
[crowd shouting]
The troops were shooting directly at the Red Cross signs.
[man] Don't shoot!
[man 2] Where is that wounded guy? [man 3] Get away!
-[man 2] I'm a doctor! -[cocks gun]
I'm just a doctor!
-I mean you no harm! -[fires shot]
I showed him the sign of the Red Cross, but he shot my leg.
[Katya Korniyko] The first victims with wounded eyes appeared that day.
When we brought in the third man
with no eyes...
I came outside and had a panic attack.
[siren wailing]
FIRST AID
[Pyvovarov] The first improvised medical aid station
was located near a sushi restaurant.
People brought bottles with drinking water,
lemons, vinegar...
Anything they thought could help with tear gas.
In the morning, when Berkut attacked,
they completely destroyed that medical station.
[man] You bastards! Don't touch the medicine!
They threw stun grenades inside and sprayed tear gas.
We had to run away. All the medicine was left behind.
We couldn't even imagine that something like this could happen.
-[crowd shouting] -[gunfire]
[Zalevskiy] Among the rubber bullets that were distributed to Berkut...
it seems someone substituted them with live ammunition on purpose.
[gunfire]
[Savelyev] It was scary, to be honest with you...
when they started to shoot people with real bullets.
You hear the sound of a bullet passing your head,
and see people dropping dead.
[Kibnovsky] I want to ask them who gave birth to you?
A mother or a wolf?
How could this happen? Against your own people?
[distant shouting]
[Savelyev] One of the most horrible moments I've seen
was on Hrushevskogo Street, when the Berkut shot Serhiy Nigoyan.
[speaking indistinctly]
How could such a good person be killed?
He was so young and had his whole life ahead of him.
Everyone who knew Serhiy always said the same thing about him,
how pure, how beautiful and how open this human being was.
[people singing]
We still can't believe he's gone. We wait...
I'm here and I keep thinking that he is up there on Hrushevskogo Street.
I can't believe...
[Pyvovarov] Those in power were banking that
Maidan would fall apart on its own,
but after the events on Hrushevskogo, and after the first deaths,
Zhyznevskyi and Nigoyan...
people decided to stay until the end.
For us, it was the point of no return.
[Zalevskiy] I realized...
that the time of this government has come to an end.
[man] Glory to Ukraine! [all] Glory to the heroes!
-Glory to the nation! -Death to our enemies!
The AutoMaidan is trapped.
Tonight's main story is attacks on the AutoMaidan Activists.
ATTACKS ON AUTOMAIDAN
Tonight they were patrolling Kyiv streets
and hospitals where wounded activists were brought.
But their cars were attacked
and many activists were arrested and kidnapped by Berkut.
[Iuliia Volkova] Our friends were missing, so we went out to look for them,
but on the way...
It was a well-planned trap.
[smashing]
Berkut and traffic police participated in it.
So we were captured.
[Volkova] What are you doing? [Serhiienko] This is my wife!
We are just going home!
What the hell are you doing?
First, they smashed and destroyed our car.
Then they dragged us out on the street and beat us.
After that they put us in a bus and took us to Mariyinsky Park...
...where they released me.
They were severely beating the men, who were getting terribly injured.
They were beating us to death.
[Serhiienko] Are you insane? Call the police!
-[man] People are kidnapped here! -Don't block the road.
[Serhiienko] Call the police! People are kidnapped!
I thought I would never see my friends alive.
Considering how many people were kidnapped and injured,
at that point, it was really scary.
[glass shattering]
-[chanting] -[man speaking Russian]
[man] I just came from negotiations with the President of Ukraine, Yanukovych.
As of today, Berkut will stop using force against activists.
All kidnapped protesters will be released.
[all chanting] We don't believe it!
I have no guarantee these are not lies,
we've been deceived many times--
[woman sobbing] If we go home we can be caught!
They'll kill us one by one! And nobody judges them!
Why does the government not judge its own crimes?
[playing classical tune]
[Aleksandr Starodub] When I went to do my regular
night security watch...
my little daughter came to me, and asked me not to go.
"Poppa," she said, "I'll grow up...
and bring them down myself."
And I told her,
"If we don't take them down now, no one will ever be able to do it."
[scattered applause]
[Kurganskyi] Maidan started in November.
It was able to survive through many difficult events.
But the moment came when the people of Maidan formulated their own goals,
as a set of specific political demands.
The first thing we insisted on was the release of political prisoners.
The second one was establishing equality of power
between the parliament and the president
to establish well-balanced branches of government.
The third one was early presidential re-elections.
[man] Those for this, raise your hand!
[Kurganskyi] Only under these three conditions
could Maidan end in a peaceful way.
These were our demands in February and they were supposed to be discussed
and approved by the parliament.
[Natan Hazin] On February 18th, a crowd of unarmed people
gathered to go to the parliament.
People without weapons or anything.
[man over loudspeaker] A lot of patriots responded to the call
for a peaceful rally to the parliament.
We hope that our representatives will hear us!
[Hazin] We supposed that a peaceful protest
and rally to the parliament,
supported by a great number of people,
would become a turning point, and we would finally be heard.
[chanting]
[Mykhailo Havryliuk] Waiting for us there were the police,
Berkut, and Titushky.
[woman] Remember when you were children, you were taught to love Ukraine.
Remember what your first teachers told you.
-[explosion] -[gunfire]
[clamoring]
[shouting]
I didn't know how all this would end. They just started killing us.
[man coughing]
[Yanchenko] Titushky that were in Mariyinsky Park on February 18th
were different than they were before.
They were well trained and organized.
It was a well-planned action.
Titushky were allowed to do things that the policemen weren't.
[man] Come on, finish him!
They behaved like animals.
[man screams]
-[man speaking Ukrainian] -[radio chatter]
-[explosion] -[siren blaring]
[Popova] When we saw black clouds of smoke
rise over Hrushevskogo Street,
and we realized tires were burning on Instytutska Street...
we went there.
[rhythmic banging]
[crowd shouting]
[Popova] At the intersection of Instytutska and Shelkovichna Street,
Berkut shot at people from rooftops.
-[explosion] -[gunshots]
-[crowd shouting] -[rhythmic banging]
[Savelyev] They swore an oath to serve the Ukrainian nation
but they wound up serving others.
Very bad people.
They got used to living a vile and nasty life and so they do vile things.
They were rotten.
[shields clanking]
Berkut were throwing bricks at us.
They had no mercy. Neither did we.
It wasn't like a fictional show we watch on TV.
It was a shocking reality we faced.
[car alarm wailing]
[explosion]
[woman] Call the ambulance! Hold his legs!
Call the ambulance, quick!
[Havryliuk] Since Berkut had guns and grenades,
and we challenged them without firearms,
we had to retreat back to Maidan.
[man speaks Ukrainian over loudspeaker in distance]
[man continues indistinctly over loudspeaker]
[Yanchenko] They occupied top positions, the October Palace and the footbridge.
-They had perfect firing positions. -[people shouting]
Knowing military tactics, I realized that we were trapped.
[man over loudspeaker] You are fighting against your own brothers and sisters!
[clattering]
[inaudible dialogue]
[Petro Malchuk] In that critical moment on Maidan,
behind the people forming a barricade,
people were on their knees praying with rosary beads.
[man over loudspeaker] These are your people!
Don't follow these unlawful orders!
Berkut started throwing Molotov cocktails at us from over there.
Our side didn't lose courage and began throwing tires into the fire
to make them choke from the smoke.
The wind and a higher power were on our side,
and the smoke was stifling them on the top.
[man 1 speaking Russian]
[man 2 over loudspeaker] We have to stop them with fire!
The fire is our shield!
[people singing]
[Savelyev] Many people were scared.
But we still stood there. Nobody ran away.
I was shooting at them with my slingshot.
I hit a few of them.
-[explosion] -[people shouting]
[Starodub] It was a dramatic and difficult night.
People didn't talk.
They just were looking into each other's eyes,
into each other's soul.
[man speaking Ukrainian over loudspeaker]
[explosions echoing]
[Starodub] I have never seen such courage.
I was watching people and wondering, "When will they run?"
And I'd understand, if they did.
But they didn't.
They were fighting...
[sniffles]
They were fighting to the death.
It might sound overstated, but at that moment it looked exactly like that.
People were fighting to the death.
They were fighting for Ukraine.
We were inside the Trade Union House when it all started.
They came from the top.
[man] The Trade Union House was also used as a hospital,
and there were lots of wounded.
[man 2] Today, as of now there are about 20 dead
and there are about 400 wounded.
It's mass murder.
[explosion]
The police and Berkut came and started throwing flash grenades.
They did everything to burn this building down,
because it was the headquarters of the revolution.
[woman screaming]
[man] When the fire started,
the biggest problem was getting people out,
especially those who weren't able to walk.
[man over loudspeaker] Hold on!
[overlapping shouts]
[glass shattering]
[man] Many people died in this building.
[indistinct chatter]
[man speaking indistinctly over loudspeaker]
[man] Stop this action of killing people!
Go back to your kids, go back to your wives,
go back to your families!
[man speaking indistinctly over loudspeaker]
[inaudible chatter]
During this time in February,
Mykhaylivskyi Monastery once again
became a sanctuary for people.
[Averchenko] At Mykhaylivskyi we organized a hospital,
and again, a kitchen and warm clothes drop-off.
[Zalevskiy] I saw medical workers from all over Ukraine,
from Kyiv, Lviv, Vinnytsya...
They were on duty 24/7 delivering medical care.
They brought everything they could and did their best.
[Melnyk] At first, only people from Kyiv brought medicines and food,
then cars started arriving from Rivne, Cherkassy and other cities.
Take that box. There's Pantenol and painkillers.
Um...
And in the backyard...
a morgue.
[doctor] The information about 30 dead is almost confirmed.
Unfortunately, we don't know anything about victims
taken away by the Berkut from Mariyinsky Park.
[man speaking Ukrainian]
-[man talking indistinctly] -[metal clinking]
[Makarevich] The tires were burning.
People were gathering but nobody took any decisive actions.
[indistinct chatter]
[Savelyev] I got expelled, but I came back from another barricade and stayed.
They thought I was too young to be there.
[Makarevich] Some Berkut started to walk on the burned ground.
People started throwing bricks at them,
when suddenly we heard a burst of machine gun fire.
-[gunfire] -[people shouting]
It confused all of us.
People thought that the Berkut started shooting protesters,
while the Internal Forces thought that the protesters were armed and shooting.
So they started to retreat.
The Berkut stayed and opened fire.
[man speaking indistinctly over loudspeaker]
Take him to the medics!
Doctor!
Come on, let's carry him.
[Makarevich] When people were climbing up that hill,
they realized that taking back this territory would result in many casualties.
-[man speaking over loudspeaker] -[intermittent gunfire]
[gunfire]
[men shouting indistinctly]
The shooting started over there.
There were concrete blocks that Berkut used
as a shield and to shoot from.
[gunfire]
[man 1] He's injured, get him out of here!
[man 2 screaming in agony]
[man 3] Cover him!
Hold on!
[gunshots]
[man] Guys! Help!
[gunfire]
[rapid gunfire]
[Havryliuk] They were shooting and killing our people...
but we knew we couldn't retreat.
We had to bring it all to an end.
[speaking indistinctly]
You can see the bullet holes left here.
You don't need to be a genius to understand where the shots came from.
[gunshot]
We are not afraid to die for freedom.
Freedom is for us. Freedom is ours.
We will win, and Ukraine will be part of Europe,
and Ukraine will be part of the free world!
And we'll never be slaves. We will be free.
[man shouts indistinctly]
[Kurganskyi] A friend of mine died here, Vitya Chmilenko.
He ran up Instytutska Street with a stretcher to bring out the wounded.
He bent toward a wounded man and then he got shot.
[gunshot]
[gunshot]
[Levitanskaja] I have no words.
What kind of mother raised a man to purposely target a person
just trying to help his wounded friend?
[gunfire]
[man speaking indistinctly over loudspeaker]
[Ismagilov] They were even shooting priests.
These killers hold nothing sacred.
They can just as easily kill a holy man
the same as everyone else they killed on Maidan.
[rapid gunfire]
[Hazin] The sniper attack showed such depravity.
It was...
pure hatred...
of your own brothers.
We have to bring out and carry some wounded, at least two!
[Zalevskiy] They were going with these wooden shields under the bullets
and didn't realize that it was heroism.
I tried to persuade them not to do this...
because they might be killed.
They answered, "We came here to die."
They were driven to make this country better,
so they were willing to go under the bullets,
understanding they might die, and not come back.
I'm on the front line at Instytutska Street.
[gunfire]
I can't hear you.
[indistinct chatter]
[man 1] Say something to Mom.
Hi, I just woke up.
[man 2] In short, Moysey Vasyl Mykhailovych.
Moysey Vasyl Mykhailovych.
[man 1] Tell her that you love her.
Mom, I want to tell you something...
-Mom, I want you to know... -[gunfire]
[man shouting in Ukrainian]
Mom...
I love you.
[gunfire]
[sighs]
[speaks Ukrainian]
[men shouting]
[overlapping shouts in Ukrainian]
[overlapping shouts in Ukrainian]
[Korniyko] You know what was the most difficult thing?
To decide to admit that a person is dead.
[chaotic chatter]
There are things that I hate myself for...
[voice breaking] When you resuscitate one...
and people continue bringing more and more victims...
you understand that you might save that one...
but the others can be lost.
Bullet wounds are life-threatening.
You close someone's eyes and make a decision to stop resuscitating him.
Then you move to the next victim.
Having to decide who was already dead, that was the hardest thing.
[people singing Ukrainian national anthem]
[man] Glory to Ukraine! [all] Glory to the heroes!
-Glory to the nation! -Death to our enemies!
-Ukraine! -Above all!
[crowd chanting]
[voice breaking] I can't accept...
after all the wars we've had in the world,
we are still resolving our problems by killing each other.
[Zalevskiy] We lost here...
the best people of our nation.
[crowd chanting]
Forever in our hearts. Forever in our hearts.
Forever in our hearts.
We paid a huge price.
I want to thank you...
[crowd chanting] Convict out! Convict out!
We heard what our so-called leaders agreed to with the government...
What happened today at the parliament was important,
to have new elections in December.
[clamoring]
[Parasyuk] I remember my father told me,
"This is our end...
Who wasn't killed, will be killed. Who wasn't in prison, will go to prison."
Today was a small victory.
A small victory because of you.
[Parasyuk] I realized that we couldn't leave it like that.
Our friends that we've lost would not forgive us
if we accepted those terms from the government.
[Parasyuk] Glory to Ukraine! [all] Glory to the heroes!
Here's what I want to say.
We're ordinary people, talking to these politicians standing behind me.
Yanukovych will not be the president for one more year!
Tomorrow by 10:00 a.m., he must resign!
[chanting] Resign! Resign!
My compatriot was shot down!
He had a wife and a baby!
And our "leaders" shake hands with these murderers!
Shame on them!
[crowd] Shame on them! Shame on them!
I speak to you on behalf of my entire Defense Unit that my father joined too.
If tomorrow by 10:00 a.m.
you do not make a statement about Yanukovych's resignation,
I swear, we will go on an armed offensive!
[crowd cheering]
[man] I ask you, dear colleagues, to vote.
The Ukrainian parliament,
expressing the will of the Ukrainian nation, declares,
first, the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych,
has resigned in an unconstitutional way,
and will not be fulfilling the duties of the president.
[cheers and applause]
Second, schedule early presidential election
for May 25, 2014.
Third, this resolution comes into effect from the moment of its adoption.
-[beep] -[cheers and applause]
[man] 328 lawmakers voted in favor. The resolution is adopted!
[cheering]
[Averchenko] For 23 years, we only had our independence on paper.
But now, so many people sacrificed their lives that it has become real.
Maidan was a small territory that held great bravery.
[Zalevskiy] For the future of our children,
people were prepared to die.
Even those who had no children of their own.
The people came out and showed that we have the power.
[Ismagilov] Muslims. Jews, Christians of different denominations, Buddhists,
and people who don't subscribe to a particular faith,
treated each other with respect.
And I can say that a new society was born.
-Glory to Ukraine! -Glory to the heroes!
[Anna Kovalenko] We were born in the '90s,
we were born in an independent Ukraine,
we know the borders of our country,
we understand the meaning of word "patriotism".
[all] Glory to the heroes!
[Zalevskiy] It's an amazing generation that grew up during the independence.
They grew up as free people.
No one can make a free person kneel.
[Lyzhychko] Maidan was a singular experience...
when everyone felt real unity,
real patriotism, and felt the presence of God.