LB.ua chronicles the latest events in Ukraine in English for foreign readers.
The last night on the Euromaidan was pretty calm.
8:21. The Maidan activists divided into a few columns in order to picket government buildings in order to show their displeasure with President Viktor Yanukovich's visit to Russia.
8:38. The Communist Party of Ukraine wants to provide Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov with immunity from dismissal for a year.
9:30. Police officers prevent the demonstrators from picketing the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. They say they'll let the protesters pass through the police cordon once they get the appropriate order.
10:06. The Verkhovna Rada Speaker Vladymyr Rybak opened the session of Parliament being in the session hall, since the opposition blocked the rostrum.
10:08. The session of Parliament was closed in three minutes after its beginning.
10:49. Chairman of the "Batkivshchyna" faction Arseniy Yatsenyuk said the opposition lacks only 19 votes for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov.
11:07. The Ukrainian opposition demands early presidential and parliamentary elections in March 2014, said Ukrainian opposition leader, lawmaker and a chairman of the opposition party UDAR, WBC heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko.
11:43. The headquarters of national resistance calls on all Kyivites and indifferent people to help the protesters on the Maidan in providing them with the necessary things: bread, water and medicines.
11:47. President Viktor Yanukovich left for Russia to meet the authorities and participate in the meeting of the Ukrainian-Russian interstate commission.
Yanukovich avoided a meeting with the Maidan activists by getting to the "Borispol" airport by helicopter instead of a car.
12:21. Russia has banned the entry to additional 5 thousand Ukrainians. The number of Ukrainian citizens who were denied the entry to Russia during the last month has reached 25 thousand people.
12:21. The Maidan activists are picketing the office of Viktor Yanukovich's son Alexander.
12:36. Viktor Yanukovich refused to hold a press conference on his visit to Russia.
13:52. Russian President Vladimir Putin says expects "progress in sensitive issues" with Viktor Yanukovich.
He stresses that Ukraine, no doubt, is a strategic partner for Russia. President Putin also underlined that Russia and Ukraine have a chance of reinforcing the legal framework between the two countries, including the energy sector and mechanical engineering.
13:59. President Viktor Yanukovich said he hoped that on Tuesday he and his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin will reach a win-win arrangement in the gas sector.
14:13. Ukrainian authorities attempted on the life of the leader of the opposition party "UDAR" leader Vitali Klitschko by creating the artificial obstacles to the aircraft, where he was. This could lead to the crash, says letter published by "UDAR" on Tuesday.
According to the information given in the letter, on November 24th Ukrainian airports "ZHulyani" and "Borispol" denied landing to the aircraft Premier 1 p/№ UR-NST, in which Vitali Klitschko was returning to Kiev from Germany. Refusal was caused by the ban by "Ukraerocenter" in connection with the "anti-terrorist activities". Moreover the order on refusal to land had been passed to dispatchers on the 24th of November (just the same day) at 11:13 am, meanwhile the Emergency Service (emergency number 112) received an anonymous call about a possible explosion of the aircraft at 11:48 am. Thus, the ban on landing of the aircraft in "Borispol" and " Zhulyani" was announced before the call about a possible threat.
Also, the crew of the Premier 1 p/№ UR-NST was banned from landing when the aircraft was at an altitude of only 100 meters and almost ready for landing, with a landing gear and the visibility was about 50 meters.
14:24. Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov is celebrating his 66 birthday. President Victor Yanukovich wished him good health and welfare.
15:21. Russian President Vladimir Putin says wants to improve the lives of Ukrainians in Russia.
According to official estimates there are about 1.5 million citizens of Ukraine who live and work in Russia. Experts say the real number is about five million Ukrainians.
15:45. Ukrainian ministers were warned of the consequences of failure in performing their obligations to the society at the joint meeting of the Party of Regions and the Ukrainian government, said the deputy from the ruling party Vladislav Lukyanov. He said some ministers were even threatened with beatings.
16:35. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Ukraine closer military cooperation. He said the two countries should focus on the regional security, the key factor of which is Black Sea Fleet based in Sevastopol.
17:01. Ukraine and Russia have made changes to the gas contract. The details of the agreements remain unknown.
Russian "Gazprom" and "Naftogaz Ukraine" signed addenda to contracts for the sale of natural gas and the conditions for the transit of natural gas on January 19, 2009.
17:08. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the decision to give Ukraine a $15 billion loan.
17:14. There are only 9 signatures of deputies remaining for the resignation of theCabinet of Ministers, said chairman of the opposition "Batkivshchyna" faction Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
17:17. Russia has reduced the price of gas for Ukraine by a third - from $400 to $268.5 per thousand cubic meters.
17:23. Moscow and Kiev have not discussed the idea of Ukraine's accession to the Customs Union at the meeting of the interstate commission, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
17:34. 14 documents were signed following the visit of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich to Moscow:
- an action plan for the settlement of trade restrictions in bilateral trade between Russia and Ukraine in 2013-2014.
- addenda to contracts for the sale, supply, volume and terms of transit of natural gas between "Gazprom" and "Naftogaz Ukraine".
- a protocol of the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission.
- a plan of the Russian-Ukrainian joint activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko in 2014.
- an agreement on the implementation of measures of resumption of serial production of AN-124 aircrafts with D-18T engines and their modificationsю
- a protocol on supplies of goods for industrial cooperation in 2014.
- a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in the field of shipbuilding between the Russian Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of industrial Policy of Ukraine.
- an agreement on joint actions on the organization of construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait
- and agreement between the governments of Russia and Ukraine on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the exchange of information in the field of nuclear and radiation safety.
- a protocol on the definition of the checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border "Kujbyshevo" for joint control.
- a protocol amending the agreement on cooperation in the implementation of joint control over people, vehicles and goods on the Ukrainian-Russian state border.
- a cooperation agreement between the Russian Federal Service for Drug Control and the State Service of Ukraine on Drug Control.
- a plan of joint actions in the context of implementation of the agreement on cooperation in the prevention of industrial accidents, natural disasters and mitigation signed by the Russian Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and the State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations.
- a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the space industry between Roscosmos and the State Space Agency of Ukraine.
18:01. U.S. Republican Senator John McCain who appeared on the Maidan last weekend said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich called the protesters extremists.
18:49. Russia and Ukraine have agreed to coordinate foreign policy moves more closely.
21:00. The White House said the agreements reached by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia do not meet the aspirations and demands of the Maidan protesters.
Read next: Ukrainian crisis: December 18th