Ukraine Health Ministry: 28 dead, 287 hospitalized in standoff between police and protesters

KIEV, Ukraine – The Ukrainian Health Ministry says 28 people have died and 287 have been hospitalized during this week’s standoff between police and protesters in Kyiv.

A statement on the ministry website on Thursday says 88 police, six journalists and four foreigners were among those hospitalized. Opposition activists, who have been treating wounded protesters in a downtown monastery, say the number injured is actually much higher.

Ukraine’s protest leaders and the embattled president called a truce Wednesday, after two days of pitched street battles in which protesters hurled Molotov cocktails and bricks at police forces, who responded with stun grenades.

The violence has been the deadliest since the protests began three months ago, after President Viktor Yanukovych shelved an association agreement with the European Union in favour of closer ties with Russia.