
12:00 Following the morning detention of ex-Georgian President and ex-Odesa Oblast governor Mikheil Saakashvili in his house in Kyiv, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko had a briefing with journalists. During it, he presented a video which allegedly proves Saakashvili and his allies were cooperating with Serhiy Kurchenko, a runaway oligarch from the entourage of ousted president Viktor Yanukovych. In particular, he released the video of the conversation between Saakashvili and Kurchenko. Read more here: Prosecutor General accuses Saakashvili in cooperating with pro-Russian oligarch, latter calls for protests 14:15 After a several-hour-long standoff between law enforcement and Saakashvili supporters, the latter manage to help the politician escape the blockaded van. Saakashvili, heading a column of his supporters, is heading towards the Ukrainian Parliament. In a video, he called upon Ukrainians to "stand up against Poroshenko and his gang," calling them to come protest at Kyiv's central square, Maidan, and vowed to get rid of oligarchs. https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/938015596385591298Бруківка та імпічмент. Люди повстали на захист Саакашвілі. pic.twitter.com/0zb6Otn0s0
— Alex Ryabchyn (@alexrbchn) 5 грудня 2017 р.
14:50
Saakashvili is already near the Verkhovna Rada:14:56 Saakashvili addressing the crowd: "Power in Ukraine has been seized by an organized criminal group." Other key points:Saakashvili has arrived at Ukraine’s parliament and is about to address this crowd. pic.twitter.com/17bXg0wEKs
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) December 5, 2017
"Ukraine will be the largest nation in Europe" "I will never be like Putin" "Get rid of the gang," the rallying cry of Maidan, taken up by Saakashvili protests "Real Ukrainians have to be in the government"15:00 The US Embassy calls to deescalate tensions:
15:50 Saakashvili calls an "absolute fake" the claim of Prosecutor General Lutsenko that he has received $500,000 from Yanukovych ally, fugitive oligarch Serhiy Kurchenko.We are aware that Mr Saakashvili was detained and that protests are ongoing. We call for all sides to deescalate tensions and avoid violence. We are monitoring the situation closely and expect any investigation will be conducted expeditiously and in accordance with Ukrainian law.
— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) December 5, 2017
16:40 Prosecutor General Yurii Lutsenko is now outlining charges against Saakashvili in the Verkhovna Rada:While Saakashvili addresses crowd outside parliament, inside Prosecutor-General Lutsenko plays recording allegedly of Saakashvili cutting a deal with Yanukovych ally Kurchenko to help oust Poroshenko. Saakashvili says recording is "fake." https://t.co/CQ6EULSGmi
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) December 5, 2017
17:04 The Kyiv Police detained 9 persons involved in the standoff in central Kyiv today, reportedly, "most of them have been released." 17:29 PG Lutsenko says in the Verkhovna Rada that law enforcers will use best endeavors to detain Saakashvili within 24 hours and calls on Saakashvili to appear before the investigators at 09:00 tomorrow. 17:44 Today's events in Kyiv in 30 seconds:#saakashvili supporters out in front of the Rada while Prosecutor General Lutsenko outlines charges against him inside pic.twitter.com/bRR1tsVPuc
— Nick Connolly (@niklasconnolly) December 5, 2017
Today's events in Kyiv in 30 seconds. pic.twitter.com/vKtkFvStLi
— Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) December 5, 2017
Read more:
- 4500-strong protest at Ukrainian parliament demands “great political reform,” camps for the night
- Saakashvili enters Ukraine after fans storm border crossing
- Saakashvili needs to respect the country that gave him shelter
- Poroshenko strips “old buddy” Saakashvili of citizenship; Ukraine returning to selective justice
- Poroshenko’s conflict with Saakashvili jeopardizes Ukraine