At least 21 people are dead in the Ukrainian capital Kiev as opposition protests that appeared to be calming just 24 hours earlier exploded in violence.  Thousands of cops and protesters faced off with stun grenades versus fireworks, truncheons versus bricks, spilling blood on both sides.

“We will not go anywhere from here,” said opposition leader Vitali Klitschko to a crowd of 20 thousand protesters manning the main barricades around Independence Square as tents and tires burned around him, releasing huge plumes of smoke.  “This is an island of freedom and we will defend it,” he said.

Klitschko later went to Yanukovych's office for talks after hours of clashes Tuesday continued early Wednesday.  But the meeting failed to produce a breakthrough. 

The other main opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk made a public appeal to President Viktor Yanukovich:  “Do not let Ukraine become a country covered with blood.  Pull back the police and announce a cease-fire.  Then we will negotiate.”

But even though Kitschko and Yatsenyuk represent parties recognized by the EU and US, it was the banners of the fascist Svoboda party rising from the protest camp.  The strong presence of ultra-rightists among protesters has been noted before.  But now, nine cops were killed, as were eleven protesters, and an employee from the ruling party's headquarters, officials said.  Those numbers could easily rise in the current situation. 

Before this, he situation seemed to be easing.  Protesters vacated their occupations of key government buildings and the government gave amnesty to protestors arrested over the last three months.  Tensions skyrocketed after Russia announced it would send a second tranche of financial aid to the Yanukovich government.  It’s that deal with Moscow that upset the protesters, many of whom preferred an agreement with the European Union. 

EU officials urged Yanukovich to de-escalate the situation, but didn’t back Washington’s calls for sanctions against Ukraine's government to pressure it into accepting opposition demands for reforms.

Russia blamed the west.

“What is happening is a direct result of the conniving politics of Western politicians and European bodies,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, referring to US and EU support of the opposition.