Big picture: Close-up of Kiev's Independence Square Published duration 20 February 2014

A number of protesters and police have lost their lives in violent clashes in central Kiev, Ukraine, in demonstrations against the government of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Protests have centred on the capital's Independence Square, also known as the Maidan, where protesters had set up camp over a number of months.

The stand-off turned violent this week as riot police moved in to clear the protest camp.

Security forces had given protesters a deadline of Tuesday 18 February to leave the square, but instead, violence took hold and battles between the demonstrators and police left a number of people dead.

Independence Square, which for weeks was the setting for a mostly peaceful protest camp, now more closely resembles a siege, as the remaining protesters attempt to hold their ground.

image copyright Reuters

Battles between protesters and police continued on Wednesday, with police advancing with an armoured vehicle, dismantling barricades and firing stun grenades and water cannon.

After a truce was agreed, renewed clashes broke out and continued into Thursday.

image copyright Reuters

image copyright Getty Images

The usually quiet streets around Independence Square, near the International Centre of Culture and the National Arts Museum, have been lit with fires and clouded in smoke, as protesters confront the security forces.

The protesters have used burning tyres on the barricades in an attempt to hold the ground around the camp.

Before and after

image copyright AFP/GETTY/GOOGLE

The trade union building on the Maidan was set alight late on Tuesday night.

image copyright AFP/GETTY/GOOGLE