Maidan Nezalezhnosti (literally in Ukrainian it means: Independence Square) is the central square of Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine.
Since November 21, 2013 the square is known as the centre of the Euromaidan -protests. The words Maidan, Euromaidan became symbols of the new Ukraine. Maidan is the unofficial power that determines the future of the country maybe more then official government.
These days, according to Wikipedia “the protests are ongoing despite a heavy police presence, regular sub-freezing temperatures, and snow.
Escalating violence from government forces has caused the level of protests to rise, with 400,000–800,000 protesters demonstrating in Kiev on the weekends of 1 December and 8 December. In the weeks since, protest attendance has fluctuated from 50,000 to 200,000 during organized rallies”.
Now the protesters occupy the entire center of the city: Independence Square, European Square and several adjacent main streets of the city. Several administrative buildings are captured by the rebels. Centers of rest in the warm environment, medical care, reception and distribution of food and other things are located in these buildings. There are hundreds of tents in the streets, where activists who came to Kiev from all over the country live.
The known blogger Ilya Varlamov reports:
“Life in the Maidan is strictly organized. It lives as a small state. It has its own army, weapons’ warehouses where one can get bottles, sticks and stones, food distribution system, its own internal press, shops. Defenders of Maidan are well armed with sticks , chains and catapults for throwing firebombs. The real army discipline reigns in their ranks. Their spare time is devoted to learning the art of street fighting. All fighters are divided into regiments, each regiment has it’s own commander, medical personal and even its own flag bearer. All approaches to the Maidan are protected from invasion with high barricades.”
“Inside of the borders of Maidan there is everything necessary for life: free food, free all the necessary clothing, free medicine. Many came here two months ago and stayed. Of course, the living conditions are bad. Toilets – the usual booths on the streets, sleeping in tents in the cold, warming up at campfires.”
There are 80 toilet booths on Maidan.
Warming up.
Those who don’t want to sleep in tents, sleep on the floor at headquarters. No one asks permission, people just lie down where they find a place and sleep.
According to Russian press the cost of all Maidan operations is about $1 million a day.
Who provides this money? There are boxes in the streets for private donations. Businessmen, including the wealthiest people of Ukraine send their donations often secretly. Officially some of them support government.
Here is an example: the owner of a small construction firm Victor Wirth volunteered to be the organizer of the one of catering centers, one located at the City Hall. Wirth commands 30 volunteers. According to the businessman, he spends on food more than $ 3,000 per day. In the past two days he fed about 10,000 people daily. A third of the sum he’d spent was collected directly in the administration building, where food was prepared and served to the people. “For example, the day before yesterday somebody brought us 18 boxes of sausages. Who brought them? They do not tell their names, but the documents show that the product conforms to all standards.” Restaurateurs come and offer to cook a hot meal free.
Maidan produces souvenirs for sale.
Postcards “Ukraine is Europe”
“Revolution 24/7 Don’t sleep!”
