07.06.2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

At the capital’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti [Independence Square, in Kyiv], a shootout took place among the persons who remain on it and call themselves the Maidan Self-defense.

As reported by the capital’s head police department, today at around midnight a conflict arose, between [a group and] persons who remain on Maidan and call themselves the Maidan Self-defense, which then escalated into a gunfight. According to police data, one man was hospitalized with gunshot wounds [Editor’s update: these were later reported to be from rubber bullets]. Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene to determine the causes and circumstances of the incident and to detain individuals who directly participated in it. According to the users of social networks, three people were killed as a result of the confrontation. [Editor’s update: apparently there were no deaths from this incident and this information is incorrect].

Source: UNIAN

According to the Facebook account of the Central Council of Maidan [Self-Defense] Companies, “there was a provocation with shooting.”

“Attackers hid their faces with balaclavas. Companies [of Maidan Self-defense] raised by the alarm drove the attackers away, but a new assault by morning is not ruled out.”

According to the Twitter user @ tombreadley, two groups of 40 masked people carried out attacks from the direction of Shevchenko Lane and Hrinchenko St.

“They were catching people of non-Slavic appearance. They did not take down the tents, but they did drag people from the tents closest to the Lyadski Gates. They were armed with brass knuckles, chains, bats. About 10 to 15 people from Maidan got injured…”

“10 people from Maidan rushed for their defense. They had an AK [machine gun]! At first they shot into the air, then at the attackers. Two people seriously wounded are at the ambulance…”

According to @tombreadley, attackers and Maidaners negotiated.

“From Maidan, many were drinking, a couple of drunks, the public [surrounding them] was in the same state [Editor’s update: apparently this information about drinking is either incorrect or disputed]. For about ten minutes they stood in the lane, wall-to-wall. Negotiating.”

“…How such a [numerous] crowd slipped out from Malopidvalna St. to Volodymyrska St., by the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] so quietly, is a mystery. The attackers scattered in little groups,” writes @tombreadley.

As of 01:50 am, everything was quiet on Maidan. The number of wounded is being confirmed.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda
Image Sources: 1, 2

Here’s the video of the events shot from a roof:

Some eyewitness information from a Maidaner, George Sajewych:

They woke us up at 1 this morning. Something about gunshots near the Maidan. We dressed, strapped on bullet-proof vests, grabbed shields of the kind used by the Heavenly Hundred heroes and ran out of our Self Defense headquarters, located in Ukrainian Home. A minute or two later we were on Maidan itself, where other Self Defense units were grouped around some of the cold, gray, hideous concrete blocks that had replaced the living barricades. They were shouting out “Slava Ukrayini,” “Heroyam slava” (Glory to Ukraine; Glory to Heroes) and other patriotic slogans, obviously as to say to the attackers and to their paymasters, “We will not be intimidated; we are not afraid.” The attackers had rushed the perimeter of Tent City, fired a few shots, retreated, then repeated the exercise. They seemed to have gone. We moved quickly back to Headquarters, concerned that the building might be attacked next.

These kind of things happen periodically, as someone wants us, and all Maidan activists, to leave and go home. We are getting in the way of somebody’s business. About a week ago, at the end of my patrolling shift at 2:30 AM, I decided to make one more round from the last barricade on Khreshchatyk Prospect to the Bassarabsky Market. When five minutes later our patrol was back at the barricade, it was a roaring inferno. Someone had tossed a Molotov Cocktail, setting the automobile tires ablaze. I saw three short, athletic types race away. Some of our people decided to go after them, but they were long gone. The many tents behind the barricade quickly caught fire; the heat of the blaze made it impossible to save anything. The fire department came within half an hour and put out the remaining fires. The following day cleanup crews had removed the debrie and swept the street clean. The Maidan was one street block smaller.

Source: George Sajewych FB

Here is video surveillance footage of what is now being said is the same group attacking a gay club called “Pomada” [Lipstick] on July 6th:

Some actions of the ultra-right in Kyiv over the past two weeks:

June 26, around 10:00 am–the attack on the hotel “Tourist” (council meeting of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine).

July 5, 11:32 am–attack on the editor of “Vesti.”

July 5, 11:26 pm–attack on the [gay] club “Pomada [Lipstick].”

July 6, 10:46 pm–vandalism outside the club “Pomada.”

July 6, about 11:30 pm–clash with the Maidan Self-Defense.

Certain commentators consider the ultra-rights to be the “hand of Moscow.” In this case, should we assume that a “Kyiv People’s Republic” has already been created in Kyiv and it is time to bring the police special ops units into the city?

Source: Anton Shekhovstov FB, Researcher, University College London and Editor, Fascism: Journal of Comparative Fascist Studies

Apparently, it is a neo-Nazi gang that was going to attack the [LGBT] Equality March on Saturday, but due to the cancellation [of the March by police due to their inability to protect its participants] itself decided to attack the editor of “Vesti” [News]. Most likely the same bastards excelled in the attack on the Kyiv bar “Pomada” [Lipstick] and they also clashed with the “Maidan Self-Defence” on Monday night [i.e. the shooting]. Participating organizations: a high probability that the Social-National Assembly / “Patriot of Ukraine” / Misanthropic Division and “White Hammer” [are all involved]. Ukrainian journalists prefer to call them “unknown [men] in Balaclavas.” Yeah, yeah.

Source: Anton Shekhovstov FB, Researcher, University College London and Editor, Fascism: Journal of Comparative Fascist Studies

Video: The attack on the editor of Vesti newspaper