Ukrainian protests spread across western provinces

Anti-government protests in Ukraine spread Saturday across the western provinces of the nation as hopes for a political solution to the stalemate fades. Russian TV reported that the anti-government protests have gone beyond the capital Kiev to cover almost all western provinces where protesters stormed and managed to occupy several provincial government buildings. The protests and violent clashes raged in Kiev. Russian Itar-tass news agency quoted Ukrainian Ministry of Interior as saying that several policemen were injured and two others were kidnapped by "rioters" in the capital. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday criticized such Western countries' statements in support of the Ukrainian opposition. He underlined that such statements only fuel tension by encouraging the armed rioters to continue the unrest. The anti-government protests flared in late November over President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to pull out of a landmark treaty with the European Union. An opposition ultimatum was set to expire after the talks with Yanukovych