"I Am a Ukrainian"

[Content Note: Revolution; violence; oppression. The below video contains images of violence.]

Since November 2013, ongoing protests known as the Euromaidan have been taking place in Ukraine, with protestors demanding an end to the Ukrainian dictatorship and closer integration with the European Union. This month, clashes between protestors and the government have steeply intensified, and yesterday at least 26 people were killed.

Right now, the international community (including the US) is not proposing intervention, but sanctions coupled with possible negotiations to broker some sort of compromise. I'm not sure what compromise can be found between oppression and freedom.

The pictures from Kiev are absolutely stunning. The uprising is intense.

This video, via Slade, made by the Maidaners, features a young female protestor explaining for what they're fighting:


Video Description: Interspersed with still images and video footage of the violent clashes between protestors and police in Kiev, a young thin white woman, speaking in accented English, speaks directly to the camera.

I am a Ukrainian, the native of Kiev. And now I am on Maidan, on the central part of my city. I want you to know why thousands of people all over my country are on the streets. There is only one reason: We want to be free from a dictatorship.

We want to be free from the politicians who work only for themselves, who are ready to shoot, to beat, to injure people, just for saving their money, just for saving their houses, just to saving their power.

I want these people who are here, who have dignity, who are brave, I want them to lead a normal life. We are civilized people, but our government are barbarians. That's not a soviet union. We want our courts not to be corrupted. We want to be free.

I know that maybe tomorrow we'll have no phone, no internet connection, and we will be alone here. And maybe police men will murder us, one after another, when it will be dark here.

That's why I ask you now to help us. We have this freedom inside our hearts. We have this freedom in our minds. And now I ask you to build this freedom in our country.

You can help us only by telling this story to your friends, only by sharing this video. Please share, share it. Speak to your friends, speak to your family, speak to your government, and show that you support us.

Text Onscreen: "Please contact your representatives and demand they support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom and democracy. Before it's too late. This video was made in early February 2014. Hopefully, thanks to you and the strong people of Ukraine, things will get better."