100,000 sing national anthem in Kiev's main square as political crisis persists
At least 100,000 Ukrainians sang the country's national anthem in Kiev's main square on New Year's Eve in a sign of support for integration with Europe.
At least 100,000 Ukrainians sang the country's national anthem in Kiev's main square on New Year's Eve in a sign of support for integration with Europe.
Kiev's Maidan has been the scene of pro-European protests for more than a month, triggered by President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to ditch a key deal with the European Union.
Opposition leaders had called on Ukrainians to come to the Maidan on New Year's Eve and sing the national anthem in an act of defiance and what they expected could be the record-breaking live singing of an anthem.
Tens of thousands, who thronged to the Maidan and nearby streets, sang seconds after the New Year's countdown.
So far, the greatest number of people, 121,653, singing a national anthem at the same time was recorded in India in May 2013, according to the Guinness World Records.
Ukrainian activists said on Monday they had invited a Guinness official to attend the singing at the Maidan in order to log the attempt at the record.
Hundreds of thousands have been rallying at the Maidan since November, when Yanukovych decided to ditch the deal with the European Union. Many in Europe had hoped for closer ties with the EU, favouring Europe's institutions over Russia's government, led by President Vladimir Putin. Pro-European activists have been living in tents on Kiev's barricaded main square for over a month.
Many Ukrainians at the Maidan said they were expressing their political views by coming to celebrate the New Year there.
Serhiy Holota, who was there with his wife and son, said they came because "it's important to be here with our people" as well as setting an example "for children to live in a free civil society".
Tamara Tivonenko, 64, who has taken part in protests at the Maidan since they began in November, said spending the New Year there was her sign of support for the opposition.
"It's nice to be here on an ordinary day, and it's important to be here together with others on a holiday," she said.
