Beginning of the Crisis, Euromaidan

Public protests demanding European integration started in Maidan Nezalezhnosti ("Independence Square") in Kyiv on 21 November 2013 and developed into what was later called the Revolution of Dignity in February 2014.

By January 2014 the protesters expanded their demands to include abolishing government corruption, reverting to the pre-2004 Constitution of Ukraine thereby lessening presidential power, and eventually calling for the resignation of the then-president Viktor Yanukovych.

By February 2014 the protests became increasingly violent and there were clashes between police and rioters. On some occasions protesters began to take control of administrative buildings. The culmination of the violent clashes took place on 18-20 February, when both rioters and police were shot dead by unknown snipers. On 18 and 19 February, at least 26 people were killed in clashes with police. On 20 February gunfire killed 60 people. Approximately a total of 130 people were killed during the clashes; most of them were civilian protesters as well as 16 police officers. This led to signing an agreement to settle the political crisis in Ukraine on 21 February between Victor Yanukovych, the President of Ukraine, and the opposition leaders.