barnaby phillips is on the line.ring us up to date with developments in the past few hours. >> what happened, it was an hour ago, actually. it seems to me that the protesters in independence square had a plan, a successfully implemented plan. they launched an offensive - there's no other word for it. they drove the police out of that portion of the square that they captured during the fighting of tuesday and wednesday night. there were hectic scenes as the police were driven back. both sides accused the other, within the last hour, of using live ammunition. having been down on the ground i did hear what sounded like gunshots. the advantage point, the hotel where i am now is under protestor control. if i can put it like that, rather than police control, and i have been seeing a steady stream of injured people being taken out of the reception in the last 15 minutes. by medics, who are working with the protesters. that is the extremely fluid and dangerous situation around independence square right now. >> so shots have

barnaby is in independent square or just in front of independent square. let's go now to the presidential estate which is 15 kilometers outside of the city center, and it being abandoned. a lot people have been teaming through the grounds to have a look as andrew simmons has a report. >> thousands of people have been inside the presidential compound. that's where i am right now. this behind me as the people keep cheering there is in fact a guesthouse. a very lavish one at that worth millions of dollars ma made outf wood, and all around it there are very expensive ornaments. the beam right now are moving forward not in any way in a violent way. they're not looting or anything like that. it's more like some sort of sunday gathering walking around a stately home. this is a very large, people are coming through like tourists, all extremely happy convinced that the president is standing down even though there is no official word like that. you have an ornamental lake behind that, and the green is the compound perimeter with. there is not a policeman in sight. t

. >> barnaby phillips joins us from kiev. it looks like the situation has calmed down. is this the truce or fatigue. >> it's probably fatigue. it has been quieter over the last hour. it's true, but it is extremely tense, and i think everyone is really shocked as to what happened. in an hour of mayhem that began at 9 o'clock in the morning local time, from our understanding of the situation, it was the protesters who andrew said seemed to have a plan, and they drove the police back there was a lot of gunfire, and many injured people have been taken into the hotel where we are staying, the ukraine hotel. i have seen a body of someone who is killed in the lobby, and my colleagues have seen more bodies, and we see many armed men inside the hotel, protesters who say that we are looking for snipers, and i'm afraid that's why i am not standing in front of a window showing the square behind me. we are hearing of others saying that they have been shot at through the window. >> there's a lot of western countries calling for the protection of peaceful protesters. it raises a quest

. >> i'm barnaby phillips in kiev, where the government authority melted away and the president seemed to lose his grip on power. >> smiles turn to tears as the reunion ends for families in north and south korea who have been apart for decades. >> a special report for zimbabwe, where a country is struggling, where eight different currencies are in every day use. >> and from bali - less and less tuna is being caught due to overfishing. hello, ukraine's opposition claims that viktor yanukovych left the capital. his residents, 15km from kiev is empty and unguarded. in parliament mps are leaving to discuss the crisis now. the opposition wants viktor yanukovych to resign and elections to take place in may. protesters are still in independence square, as you can see, in kiev, despite a deal aimed at ending the crisis. >> translation: today president viktor yanukovych left the country and basically removed himself from fulfilling his duty as a president. no one knows whether he is. according to the constitution, in this case supreme counsel, he's going to make a decision to remove viktor yanu

why are the demonstrators in independence square, barnaby?> well, in some ways, steven, they are more than demonstrators. they are in a rebellion against the ukrainian state. that protest, as far as they are concerned, is not over. the question is whether that deal yesterday diffuses the crisis or whether it acts as a catalyst for a revolution in the ukraine. it's very unclear at the moment, but certainly the feeling in central kiev is that the government's authority, the president's authority at least, is draining away. there's a slight security presence around government buildings. there are protesters in big numbers. for example, outside presidential and parliamentary buildings. and the initial reaction from the stage late last night when opposition leaders tried to sell their deal to the crowd was hostel. they were booed. we have to be careful, the opposition is very, very divided, including a wide spectrum from the far right to other opposition groups, and the people in the square don't necessarily speak for the nation. i think it's fair

. >> and now barnaby phillips in kiev. what a day, barnaby. any idea what is happening with yanukovych at the moment? >> reporter: no, as you said earlier, jane, highways been speaking in defiant terms from the east of the country. we did have information about an hour ago from the new speaker of parliament that is pro opposition figure, alexander torshenov. and what he said was that the president tried to flee from ukraine this evening. he tried to board a plane to flee into russia. but he was not allowed to leave and he's now in an eastern city. we have not had that confirmed from other successes but if it's--from other sources. but if it's true it means there is a marked difference between histone from the earlier remarks of the day and his actions which look much more like a man on the run. i think there is a difference as well from the president's tone and the reality of what sort of power he has left at his disposal because throughout the day the security forces have been dissociating themselves from their former boss. perhaps he will be

barnaby phillips, al jazeera, kiev. >> andrew, any idea what happens next? >> well, as barnaby says there is no real room for compromise on either side. the president viktor yanukovych is of the view this is really a standout now. he is saying quite categorically anybody going into the square is supporting radicals, and his security forces are determined to stamp down on the radicals. when you look in the square you see people were all walks of life, all engaged in standing firm in obeying their leaders. i wouldn't say the square is packed out, it certainly isn't, but we've seen a steady stream of people with supplies going into the square, and they're intent on staying. it's not just the capitol. there are reports of more actions against local administration offices. so we're seeing now, yes, the same playerout in terms of the protest to try to take away powers from the presidency, to call for earlier elections by these people. but it's reaching a crescendo. the timing of when this will come to an ultimate head is unclear, but it's heading in that direction

is charging the ukraine opponents are no longer abiding by the rules of the negotiated peace deal, barnabyllips has the story. >> reporter: victory came at a cost. there is no euphoria in independence square, instead, we found grief. they have lost too much to celebrate. and anyway, they are too exhausted. ukrainian politics is upside down. former opposition leaders now hold power. they deny they staged a coup against president yanukovych. >> translator: the government didn't want to listen to the people. it did everything possible to hold onto power and it crossed the line when it killed people. now we need a functioning state as soon as possible. and apartments will work on this nonstop. >> reporter: and parliament has been busy, dismissing the minute officers onministers one by onee speaker as the interim president, consolidating the change in power, but what of yanukovych? these security camera pictures appear to show his entourage fleeing his residence in the early morning hours of saturday morning, where they are now, we don't know. a familiar face looms over the new landscape. yulia

barnaby phillips spoke to some of the them. he sent this report from the ukrainian capital. >> reporter: victory came at a cost. there's no euphoria in independence square. instead, we found grief. they've lost too much to celebrate, and there's too exhausted anyway. ukrainian politics is upside-down. the former opposition leaders noi now hold power. they deny they staged a coup against president yanukovych. >> translator: the government didn't want to listen to the people. it did everything possible to hold onto power and it crossed the line whether it killed people. now we need a functioning state as soon as possible, and parliament will work on this nonstop. >> reporter: parliament has been busy, dismissing yanukovych's ministers one by one and setting election dates and appointing the new speaker as an interim president and consolidating the change in power. but what of yanukovych? these security camera pictures show his entourage fleeing his residence in the early hours of saturday morning. they took off towards the east.

. >> barnaby mentioned earlier the diplomatic efforts underway to try to stop the violence in ukraine. lauren taylor in our european news center has more on that. >> both the european union and the united states have expressed alarm at the bloodshed in kiev, holding special meeting in brussels where sanctions against ukraine are discussed. they are sharply opposed by russia. within brussels, simon, just before we came to you just on the wires coming in the last few minutes, we've heard that the german, french and polish ministers have restrained ukraine for more talks. how much progress in their absence has been made and what will it mean that they haven't yet? >> we were warned earlier today in brussels that the three foreign ministers will stay in kiev for as long as the talks are necessary. that clearly is the case. as they continue to run into the evening, there may be some occasion to contribute to this emergency. foreign ministers, there's been talk of a draft letter that's all right been proposed by ambassadors to the european union in brussels. it will include targeted sanctio

barnaby phillips has more. >> the day after a night of mayhem. central kiev, a city reaped in smoke. the government and protesters equally determined not to give way the results have been catastrophic. this is independent square. sacred ground to the protesters who have held it for almost three months. now the government says it cannot sit by any longer. >> my duty as a guarantor of the institution iconstitution is toe in the country, i'm again calling for the opposition leaders who claim to also want a peaceful resolution to immediately separate themselves from the radical forces that provoke bloodshed and clashes with security services. >> the nighttime pictures show a brutal fight. the police try to force their way into the square with an armored vehicle, stun grenades and rubber bullets. protesters responded with whatever they could lay their hands on. fireworks, bricks, stones, bottles, monthly t monthly to hn tails. molotov cocktails. >> behind me you can see that they're collecting medical supplies. it suggests many people here fear there

as you heard in barnaby's piece it's about who the new leader will be. they are divided about that.aine will need a lot of support in the coming weeks and months as it heads towards presidential elections may 25th and as it tries to rebuild all of its institutions that will be part of the problem, not going back to the old institutions, morgan. >> speaking of not going back to the old institution, what is next for yanukovych now that the parliament has the presidential power? >> reporter: they have the presidential power, everybody associated with him in government was dismissed. everyone i have spoken to in kiev today says it wouldn't be a good idea for victor yanukovych to come back here, they believe his era is over, this is time for a new ukraine, many people blame him for the bloodshed. hits ruling party that supported him that was his majority in parliament who gave him so many powers they said on their website today they blame victor yanukovych for the bloodshed. they blame him and planning to on as a political party here, an on him us sign for the president of kiev. he has l

barnaby phillips has more from independence square. >> reporter: victory crime at a cost.re is no yo euphoria in independence square, instead we found grief. they have lost too much to celebrate and anyway, they are too exhausted. ukrainian politics is upside down. former opposition leaders now hold power. they deny they stage aid coup against president yanukovych. >> translator: the government didn't want to listen to the people. it did everything possible to hold onto power and crossed the line when it killed people. now we need a functioning state as soon as possible and parliament will work on this nonstop. >> reporter: and parliament has been busy does missing january coacyanukovych's ministers 11 b, the new speaker as president. , interim. but of what of yanukovych. these security cameras appear to show his entourage fleeing his restless residencresidence in tf saturday morning, we don't know where they are now. a familiar face looms over the any land came, yulia tymoshenko from prison to politics in just a day. i met a protester who has been on the barricades and wo

barnaby phillips has our report. >> reporter: in the square they listened, intently to the details ofeal that their leaders have signed with the president. they want to know, have they been sold out or has the revolution triumphed? european foreign ministers who succeeded to getting pen to paper. early elections, sweeping constitutional changes, and perhaps the last chance to stop the bloodshed. >> i am satisfied that it is the best agreement that could be had, and it gives ukraine a chance to return to peace, to reform and to hopefully resume it's a way towards europe. >> reporter: this deal can be seen as a what belated triumph for european diplomacy, but it is also a compromise, and the real question now is whether these people in the square are prepared to accept what for them is only a partial victory. >> now it looks like a little, little win of our people, yes. it's -- maybe it's the first step. >> it's not actual change, no. it's a small move towards a change, but it's not al solution yet. >> will you carry onment coming to the square to protest? >> yes. >> reporter: but they

barnaby phillips assessed the mood of the voters. >> reporter: opposition leaders have signed a deal, but selling it to these people will be tough. they talk of revolution, and they say dozens of martyrs have died for their cause this week. we met ivan, a protester or perhaps rebel. >> translator: my children wanted to come here with me. said i would go alone, but i told them to follow me here if i don't come back home. the elder son must be first. >> reporter: so new barricades are going up, and the exists fences are ever higher and ever-more elaborate. that is the result of this week's killings, and convincing people to take down these defenses is going to be an incredibly difficult task. the politicians can't even control their contempt for each other. more brawls in parliament as the speaker tries to delay debate on changes to the constitution. if the president is the villain in the square, these are the latest heros, peacemen who have joined the protest. they say they want to work for a real peace force. a sign of cracks in the ukrainian state but also in the fabric of the countr

barnaby fill it's, al jazerra, kiev. >> abdel joins us now from kiev.ny clearer now where victor januar yanukovych is? >> reporter: no, it's not. the last time we have seen him is in that video message that came public on saturday morning in that message he said that he was victim of a coup and he still regarded himself as the legitimate leader of this country. since we haven't seen him but did hear from the interim interior minister who said that yanukovych was trying to feed the country on a private jet from the eastern city that he was prevented by -- from doing so by the border guards but he actually fled the airport and has not been seen since, there was some illusion that he have fled the country by land but none of that has been proven. we also heard from one of his aids who actually said, no, yanukovych remains in the country. in the east part of the country. and that he will go and speak to his supporters and explain his position. so we really don't know where he is presumably somewhere in the east. but i think he is in a very difficult positio