Revolution of Dignity

1

Barricade near TsUM

38 Khreshchatyk str. GPS: 50.444921, 30.520836

On this spot stood a barricade made of tires, branches, fragments of a Christmas tree, benches, bricks and dirt which protected protesters from attack from the rear. At first glance, there is nothing special about this barricade and it’s just the same as all the other barricades around Maidan. It’s not the first or the last barricade, and no life-changing events happened here. But mind you, we start our walking route precisely in this place for a good reason.

The barricade stands near TsUM (Central Universal Department Store), which became the property of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov long before the revolution (back in 2010). Rinat Akhmetov is popularly known as the 'wallet' of pro-government 'Party of Regions' which nominated presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovich hated by all the participants of protests. In 2012, the Central Universal Department Store was closed for reconstruction works which continued even during periods of violent confrontations between protesters and security forces: workers were on their shifts at the construction site and the crane was operating. It seemed as if the regime was about to collapse and so it’s not the right time for billionaire Rinat Akhmetov to think about making money. However, businessman providently believed that he will be earning money at ease in the center of Kiev even under new authorities, and it turns out, rightly so.

It is worth pointing out that the reconstructed TsUM building wasn’t damaged at all during the revolution, except that someone painted a writing on a large banner on the building façade: 'Rinat, are you with Ukraine or with the Kremlin?'. A few days later this writing was hastily covered with a large flag of Ukraine which served as an answer to the question.

It is to be recalled that Rinat Akhmetov is a well-known businessman from Donetsk who managed to earn his initial capital during the post-Soviet period of devastation in the criminal 90’s, which later allowed him to acquire Ukrainian enterprises. Rinat Leonidovich prefers not to talk about the ways in which he managed to earn his capital.

3

Maidan

Independence square GPS: 50.450223, 30.523915

So here we are at the epicenter of all events that took place during the revolution.

In the center of the square there stood a stage which worked around the clock. On this stage politicians made fiery speeches, artists performed songs and dances in support of protesters, clergy prayed for the destiny of Ukraine.

The number of protesters who came to the square varied from one day to another. Some people were constantly present at the square, they ate food and slept right here in tents, and there were people who came to the square after work and stayed here until night and then went back to work in the morning. At different times, the number of protesters at the Maidan varied from several thousand to hundreds of thousands of people. For example, 500 thousand to 1.5 million people joined the 'March of millions' according to different estimates. The whole territory of the square and the surrounding streets were crowded with people.

Many politicians came on the stage to make a speech, but we won’t mention their names — the vast majority of them are now at the helm of state, their faces constantly appear on television and deliver political speeches which are often filled with pure populism.

Let's name those 'personalities of the Maidan' who we would like to call to memory.

Ruslana Lyzhichko, Ukrainian singer, the winner of Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, which earned her the title of People's Artist of Ukraine later that same year. She was 'the voice of Maidan', so to speak. She spent night after night on the stage and talked to people. Bloodstained armor vests and helmets were being brought to her on the stage, but she held on with fortitude even when the bullets whistled past at very close range.

Yevgeniy Nischuk — he is also known as 'the voice of Maidan'. As an anchorman at the Maidan, he announced all kinds of actions and events. He was on the stage, for the most part, in the afternoon. He made important announcements about the beginning of an assault, wounded people, snipers and other dangerous situations.

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk — leader of the popular rock band 'Okean Elzi', is remembered not only for his fiery speeches on the stage, but also for his incredibly inspiring and patriotic concert held at the Maidan Square on December 14, 2013. Tens of thousands of people were waving the flashlights on their mobile phones in time with his song.

Sergei Nigoyan is a citizen of Ukraine of Armenian origin and an icon of the Maidan. On January 22, 2014, he was killed with a case-shot lead bullet during the 'truce' between protesters and special police forces. He is one of the first victims of the revolution who opened the murder tally of further victims.

He practiced karate, which is why he served as a security guard in the tent camp of the protesters. He was a well-known and charismatic young man who was loved by Maidan photographers and videographers. After confirmation of Nigoyan’s death, the video where he recites Shevchenko’s poems, has become one of the most popular ones on the Ukrainian internet.

5

Lviv Brama

alley of Heroes of Heavenly Hundreds GPS: 50.449591, 30.526592

This is the name of the barricade which stood right under the bridge leading to 'Zhovtnevyi Palace'. It derives from the name of the Hundred (Maidan’s self-defense unit) which stood on this barricade. This Hundred consisted primarily of residents of Lviv city and oblast.

This barricade was a hotspot of tension — just after the barricade, one hundred meters away was the map’s 'black zone', which is where the riot police stood. From there 'Berkut' officers launched their attacks, and from there they shot at protesters. The barricade was seized, destroyed and rebuilt many times.

7

On the other side of the barricades

Institute str. GPS: 50.446383, 30.533464

We are in the center of the 'Government Quarter', the main forces which defended the president were concentrated on this territory.

Special purpose police units 'Berkut' were the main actors on the part of law enforcement agencies. 'Berkut' units from throughout Ukraine were brought to Kiev in order to suppress protests. They had a sincere hatred for people who stood on the other side of the barricades. During assaults they beat unarmed people with extreme brutality, they beat protesters with their fists, feet and batons, they show no mercy even to women.

Riot police officers had a negative attitude toward journalists. The majority of mass media supported Maidan. Only a few TV channels (including the 'Ukraine' channel owned by Rinat Akhmetov) managed to make their way to the rear of police forces in order to interview them.

The largest number of riot police officers were guarding cordons on Institutskaya Street, on Grushevskogo Street, around the buildings of Presidential Administration, Cabinet of Ministers and Verkhovna Rada.

On the internet there was a widespread opinion that the guys 'were only obeying orders' (an indulgence for guilty conscience perhaps?). However, it should be recalled that the Criminal Code of Ukraine stipulates the following: 'A person, who obeyed a patently criminal order or command, shall be criminally liable on general grounds for the acts committed in pursuance of such order or command'.

9

Grushevskogo Street

Grushevskogo str. GPS: 50.450353, 30.529698

We went down to the place where at the entrance to Valeriy Lobanovskiy Stadium stood a large barricade — one more line of demarcation between the 'yellow-and-blue' and 'black' zones.

This is where extremely violent clashes took place. On this spot the tires were burned, which is why the majority of neighboring houses turned black. On this spot law riot police officers fired water cannons at protesters in the blistering cold. Meanwhile, on protesters’ side stood a large slingshot to hurl paving stones at riot police officers. Later on, protesters constructed something like a catapult. The catapult was destroyed by riot police during yet another assault.

Protesters pulled out the paving stones from under their feet and used them as their main weapon in the early stages of the revolution. By the end of the revolution there were almost no paving stones left underfoot, but as we can see now, the stone-block pavement has been completely restored.