Protests about introducing the Russian language in Ukraine

The head of the Supreme Council of Ukraine, Volodymir Lytvin, and his deputy, Mykola Tomenko, resigned in order to protest against irregularities during Tuesday's voting concerning the language bill, which enlarges the status of the Russian language.

"I was deceived. The whole Ukrainian nation was deceived," said Lytvin, speaking to the MPs and then he left the hall.

"My further stay in such a presidium of the Supreme Council is illegitimate and impossible. (...) If we want to defend our national interests and our mother tongue, we cannot sign a bill which was passed with the violation of the Constitution and the regulations of the Parliament," said Tomeko, informing about his resignation.

Approximately 500 people protested during the night of Tuesday and Wednesday  in front of the Ukrainian House in Kiev against the bill passed by the Parliament. In the stairs in front of the House 5 opposition MPs are following a starvation diet.

As many as 5,000 functionaries of the Berkut special units have been called to the vicinity of the Ukrainian House.

The bill concerning the basis of the language policy gives preference to the Russian language in the Eastern part of Ukraine. The opposition is protesting and organising a tent city near the Parliament.