Barricade #83 Instytutska street

On January 16, 2014, the authorities adopted what is known as the ‘dictatorial laws’, proving their unwillingness to meet the protestors’ demands. The criminalization of peaceful protests provoked a violent confrontation. The first murders of protesters on Mykhailo Hrushevskyi Street on January 22, 2014, urged the Maidan activists to further strengthen their positions in preparation for a possible attack by the security forces. In particular, they reinforced protection at the approaches to Instytutska Street from the government quarter. Protesters created a giant, about 4 meters high, wall from construction bags filled with compacted snow. The structure was reinforced by metal barrels, dismantled street furniture, tires, anti-tank “hedgehogs”, barbed wire, etc. Later, the protesters also added a wooden watchtower on top of it.

Built to repel powerful attacks, this barricade eventually played its tragic role. On February 18, the Maidan protesters announced a “peaceful offensive” – a march to the Verkhovna Rada building, where MPs were about to review amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine to limit the presidential influence. These amendments were one of the Maidan’s demands. However, the authorities postponed the parliament’s session. Using ordinary thugs and Titushky gyus to help the security forces, they organized attacks on the protesters. The brutality with which authorities-appointed forces attacked unarmed people (beatings, gunshots, murders) forced protesters to retreat towards Maidan. Many people gathered near the small passage of Barricade #8 to escape, and a stampede formed. Those who did not have time to get to the other side were beaten. One of those trapped and killed near Barricade #8, were the Antonina Dvorianets and Zurab Khurtsiia who were enrolled later into the Heavenly Hundred Heroes list.

That evening, the security forces partially destroyed the Barricade # 8 to allow special equipment to pass through.

On the morning of February 20, protesters in Kyiv went on the offensive along Instytutska Street. They managed to push the Berkut officers away from the foot of the Independence Monument and liberate the October Palace. The former Barricade # 8 became a frontier between the Berkut special forces and the protesters. Having positioned themselves outside the barricade, Berkut officers opened fire with assault rifles. That day, 48 protesters were killed, none of whom were carrying weapons.

On the night of February 22, Viktor Yanukovych, frightened of responsibility for his crimes and the possibility of being put on trial by the people, fled Kyiv and, eventually, Ukraine. In the evening of that day, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a resolution to remove Yanukovych from the presidency by 328 votes.