Harrowing footage has emerged which shows a group of anti-government protesters being picked off by special force snipers while progressing through Kiev's Independence Square.

As medics try to attend to the victims, the snipers continue to fire shots at the group.

The footage comes just hours after Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych declared that he had reached a "truce" with the opposition.

Fierce clashes continued on the bloodiest day of the unrest with BBC reporting at least 22 dead so far. Twenty six were killed yesterday.

The Ukrainian opposition and at least 10 pro-government MPs have called for an emergency parliamentary meeting as a conclusion to the unrest is sought.

Carl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, tweeted that there is "no doubt live ammunition used" by government forces in Kiev clashes in what is a "truly alarming development".

Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko has called for Parliament to convene, President Yanukovych to call snap elections and for Ukrainians to organise in self-defence.

Three EU ministers, Laurent Fabius (France), Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Germany) and Radoslaw Sikorski (Poland) are meeting Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych despite earlier reports that they had flown out of the country for security reasons.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian alpine skier Bohdana Matsotska has decided to pull out of the Sochi Winter Olympics following the bloody events in Kiev's Independence Square.

Follow our live blog of events in Ukraine here.