Ukraine unrest: Kiev protests continue despite concessions from president Viktor Yanukovych

Violence has continued in the Ukrainian capital after president Viktor Yanukovych promised to reshuffle his government and make other concessions to end the crisis gripping his country.

Mass rallies against Mr Yanukovych's rule erupted in Kiev last November after he pulled out of a free trade deal with the European Union in favour of closer economic ties with Russia, Ukraine's former Soviet overlord.

They have since spiralled into protests against misrule and corruption among Ukraine's leaders and officials, and there have been violent clashes with police the in city centre this week in which three protesters died, two from gunshot wounds.

The ongoing unrest prompted Mr Yanukovych on Friday to announce a reshuffle of the government and to amend sweeping anti-protest laws.

The president made his offer in comments to church leaders as the protesters erected more street barricades and occupied a government ministry building in Kiev ahead of what is expected to be another weekend of anti-government rallies.

Tense times in Ukraine

• November 21: Ukrainian authorities unexpectedly suspend talks on an Association Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic relations with Russia, causing the pro-European opposition to call protests.
• November 30: Riot police violently disperse a protest on Independence Square (Maidan) with dozens wounded. The opposition calls for president Viktor Yanukovych to step down and early elections, condemning harsh tactics.
• December 1: A crowd of up to 500,000 protesters gather on the Maidan, with thousands setting up a camp of tents and building barricades.
• December 17: Yanukovych travels to Russia and obtains a loan of $16.9 billion and a huge price cut for the gas it buys from Moscow.
• December 25: A journalist known for harshly critical articles of Yanukovych, is savagely beaten by unidentified attackers. The attack prompts the protests on the Maidan to grow.
• January 10: Ex-interior minister Yuri Lutsenko, now in the opposition, is beaten up by baton-wielding police during clashes between protesters and police. Around 50,000 people protest over the next two days in reaction to the attack.
• January 19: Around 200,000 people gather on Maidan two days after Ukraine passes laws curbing protests that lead to the protesters whistling and heckling the opposition leaders for the first time.
• January 22: The unrest turns deadly with authorities confirming at least two protesters were shot and killed in the clashes with police. Officials deny protesters' claims that snipers were responsible for the deaths.
• January 23: Protest groups agree to truce ahead of talks between Yanukovych and opposition leaders. European leaders express concern about the spiralling violence.

The president's Party of the Regions confirmed reports that two months of protest had spread to other parts of Ukraine, particularly to pro-European Union western regions, where it said "extremists" had seized administrative buildings.

Mr Yanukovych, who hails from the mainly Russian-speaking east of Ukraine, said key decisions would be made at a special session of parliament scheduled to take place next Tuesday.

"I, as president, will sign a decree and we will reshuffle the government in order to find the best possible professional government team," he said in comments carried on his website.

He gave no indication of how wide the government reshuffle would be, and it was by no means certain that prime minister Mykola Azarov or any other key figures would have to step down.

The dismissal of the Mr Azarov's government has been one of the main demands of the opposition and Mr Yanukovych's words were clearly intended to look like a concession to opponents who have voiced frustration at his stalling tactics in talks until now.

The promise to reconsider anti-protest legislation, which was railroaded through parliament last week by Yanukovych loyalists, also appeared to be a concession aimed at taking steam out of fresh protests.

In other conciliatory comments, Mr Yanukovych said he would bring opposition leaders into an anti-crisis team, and he said people who had been detained so far and had not committed serious crimes would be amnestied.

"I will do all I can to stop this conflict, to stop this violence and establish stability," he reportedly told the church leaders.

However, Mr Yanukovych's promises have failed to end weeks of rallies in central Kiev and thousands of people remain in the streets, at times clashing with security forces.

"I'm standing on a hill, overlooking the frontline and I can say that this street in Kiev has once again been turned into a battle zone," BBC reporter David Stern said.

"Fighting has resumed. It's not as fierce as it has been in the past, but it is definitely going on.

"I'm looking down on tyres burning, plumes of smoke in the air, the protesters are throwing molotov (petrol) bombs, and firing fireworks at the riot police. [Riot police are] returning fire with plastic bullets."

Protester stripped naked remains defiant

Meanwhile, a protester who was assaulted, stripped naked and humiliated by members of elite Berkut riot police in Kiev said he was prepared to fight on in anti-government protests despite his ordeal.

Mykhailo Gavrylyuk, 34, who was forced to completely undress in freezing temperatures, told reporters at a press conference that "victory is not far off".

A film posted online showed Berkut officers posing for pictures with their naked captive in a horrific scene that drew an apology from interior minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko.

Appearing in public for the fist time, Mr Gavrylyuk told reporters how he was arrested during the clashes between police and protesters that have rocked Kiev over the last days.

"After I was grabbed, they beat me with batons, with their legs, they hit me in my head, torso," he said, with blue and red circles visible around his eyes and wounds on the face, ears and neck.

I was grabbed, they beat me with batons, with their legs, they hit me in my head, torso.

After the beating, they stripped me completely and threw me to the ground.

"After the beating, they stripped me completely and threw me to the ground.

"When I was lying naked on the ground they put their feet on my head like football players on a ball and photographed themselves."

A native of Ukrainian-speaking western Ukraine, Mr Gavrylyuk said he lost consciousness after the beatings and was taken to hospital before returning to the camp on Kiev's Independence Square.

"It is in my plans to continue preparing the revolution," Mr Gavrylyuk said.

In a travel alert issued Friday, the US state department urged American citizens to stay away from "all protests, demonstrations, and large gatherings" amid the ongoing unrest.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued the same advice to Australian travellers.

US vice president Joe Biden phoned Mr Yanukovych on Thursday and warned him that failing to de-escalate the standoff could have "consequences", the White House said.

German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande have both called for dialogue.