Ukraine death toll rises to 28–ministry

An anti-government protester prepares to throw a car tire into the flames lit by protesters at Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. Ukraine’s protest leaders and the president they aim to oust called a truce Wednesday, just hours after the military raised fears of a widespread crackdown with a vow to defeat “terrorists” responsible for seizing weapons and burning down buildings. AP

KIEV – Ukraine’s health ministry on Thursday raised the death toll from the crisis-hit country’s worst violence in its post-Soviet history to 28 from 26, adding that 287 people remained hospitalised.

The ministry said in a statement on its website that four children under the age of 18 and two foreign citizens were among those injured in unprecedented clashes that broke out on Tuesday night in the heart of Kiev between thousands of pro-EU protesters and hundreds of riot police.

It added that 88 law enforcement agents and one member of parliament were among those hurt.

The violence saw the Ukrainian government on Wednesday declare plans to impose a state of emergency.

President Viktor Yanukovych called a “truce” and proposed direct negotiations with the opposition after a meeting with three top anti-government lawmakers on Wednesday night.