21 Sep 2018 | 09:56 AM UTC
Ukraine: Far-right protests in Kyiv Sep. 20; further demonstrations expected
Clashes erupt between security forces and far-right activists in Kyiv on September 20; further protests expected in the coming days
Event
Far-right activists protested in the capital Kyiv on Thursday, September 20, demanding the government ease rules on the obtention of an official status for foreigners who fought against pro-Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Clashes erupted between security forces and protesters in front of the Ukrainian Parliament, when the latter tried to enter the building. Further protests are expected in the coming days.
Context
On September 12, Ukraine's State Migration Service extradited Timur Tumgoyev, a native of the Russian Republic of Ingushetia, after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed Tumgoyev fought with Islamist extremists in Syria. Tumgoyev had previously requested asylum in Ukraine after fighting against Russian-backed forces in the Donbass (eastern Ukraine). The Kharkiv Human Rights Group claims that the FSB's charges are false and that the Russian government routinely manufactures political cases to silence government critics.
Advice
Individuals in Kyiv are advised to monitor the situation and avoid all protests as a precaution.
