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*This article contains images that some people might fight upsetting*
Updated at 11.35pm
A POLICEMAN WAS killed and dozens injured today in street battles with protesters in Kiev as Ukrainian lawmakers gave their initial backing to controversial legislation granting more autonomy to pro-Kremlin rebels.
It was the worst unrest in the capital since a bloody popular uprising ousted Moscow-backed Viktor Yanukovych early last year, an event that set in train the separatist insurgency in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.
Ukrainian authorities blamed nationalists for the trouble and said at least 30 people had been detained.
A loud blast was heard outside parliament and vast clouds of black smoke billowed into the air as demonstrators fired off what security forces said were live grenades.
The violence flared shortly after MPs backed in their first reading the constitutional amendments that critics have branded “un-Ukrainian” for giving the insurgents greater powers in the east.
Riot police in helmets and armed with batons were seen clashing with the protesters.
Some of the injured were bleeding and lying down on the ground in front of the parliament building. Many suffered injuries to their arms and legs. Most wore uniform.
The authorities said a National Guard officer, believed to be a conscript aged 24 or 25, died.
Interior Minister Arsen Avakov initially said he died from a bullet wound to the heart but later wrote that he was apparently killed by a grenade fragment.
Police said another 90 members of the security forces were injured, while city authorities said medics had identified 56 wounded including 54 servicemen and two journalists.
The interior ministry blamed the nationalist Svoboda party for the unrest and said those detained included a member of its paramilitary unit accused of throwing the grenade.
“More than 30 people have already been detained. More to come,” Avakov said on Facebook, adding that people who threw “several” explosive devices wore T-shirts with the Svoboda logo.
‘Anti-Ukrainian war’
Avakov said the authorities had confiscated several grenades including an F-1 which Avakov noted had a maximum radius to cause death and injury.
“Investigation and punishment will be unavoidable,” he said, calling the clashes an “anti-Ukrainian war.”
Oksana Blyshchyk, a spokeswoman for Kiev police, said separately that around 100 police were injured and 10 of them were in critical condition.
Protesters also fired at least one smoke grenade that sent up a thick cloud of black smoke outside the building. Tear gas was used by both sides, an AFP correspondent said.
French journalist Antoine Delaunay wrote on Twitter that he “took a rock” to his face and at least one photographer was lightly injured.
The controversial Western-backed reforms aim to give greater autonomy to the separatist east as part of a February peace deal which called for Kiev to implement decentralisation” by the end of this year.
A total of 265 lawmakers voted in favour of the draft legislation at a stormy session, which saw some MPs try to disrupt the vote, which they condemned as “anti-Ukrainian” and “pro-Vladimir Putin.”
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Helen mc enree & a very sensible positive idea in the same sentence? Is it April 1sr already?
@Mary Linton: You would think if a pilot kept on crashing planes, they’d be sacked, but the same ineptitude is fine in politics, apparently!
@Mary Linton: I know right? I thought DOGE were cutting all this.
@Louis Jacob: Apologies, lost me there….. isn’t DOGE an American financial accountability department?
@Mary Linton: you’re a bore
Seems reasonable.
@Luas Vuitton – Penneys Drag Queen: you obviously don’t havw school going children . These children need massive supports some are non verbal some very verbal so putting in a student. Teacher is like letting a trainee electrician loose to rewire a hole house . No experience .
@Karen Marten: if alternative is no teacher, then put the kids first. Cop on.
@Luas Vuitton – Penneys Drag Queen: you have no cop on how would you .
@Karen Marten: are u a parent. I doubt it you know nothing.
@Karen Marten: I don’t think theyre asking the trainee teachers to run the school either. The point is to train teachers withing the special school setting. Can’t see any issue with this.
@Mindful Muinteoir: When I taught deaf and special needs children trainee teachers would spend time in the classroom with us. This showed them how we sometimes have to adapt our teaching to include all children equally. It also gave them an insight into what being a SEN teacher requires should they wish to go down that path.
@Luas Vuitton – Penneys Drag Queen: So you don’t believe that children with special needs deserve to have teachers who are specifically trained to teach these children and to meet their needs? Shameful!!
@Mindful Muinteoir: Wow, how about they get primary school teachers to start lecturing in third level institutions? And don’t tell me that’s not the same thing, it is.
@Ann Reddin: Steady up. It’s placement as part of their studies and they would be supervised by qualified teachers at all times. Experience is the best way to learn anything. This is a positive step
Anything Master minded by this silly woman, is bound to be a disaster!
@Brian Hunt: Play the ball Brian.
It’s a great idea.
They’re already doing it so makes sense.
Any measure that will address the early intervention for those with Special Needs in schools must be welcomed
Great idea, but unions won’t allow it as they’ll put teachers first as usual.
@Allo Allo: unfair.
@Allo Allo: you obviously did’nt bother to read the article. The INTO came up with this idea first, you gobdaw.
‘Something something… teachers bad’ and so on
@Allo Allo: how is it a great idea these trainee teachers can barely teach mainstream kids my child is in 6th class a crucial year a a newly grad teacher was put to them be more suited with junior or senior infants. So how is it a good idea to do the same with special need kids. No no plenty of years of experience is needed for that type of teaching
And where are these people being forced into these positions going to live?
Pay them properly so they decide to stay in Ireland and after turning the masters in education into a cash cow students spend €10000 to qualify
I agree with this. I only said something similar a few weeks ago. Main stream teachers just think 1 way and that’s all kids are the same when that’s not the case. I’ve seen it so many times and it’s annoying.
@darren guthrie: absolute nonsense statement
have your say