Ukraine unrest: President Yanukovych offers 'concessions'
Mr Yanukovych pledged to amend recently approved tough anti-protest laws, reshuffle the government and grant an amnesty to some detained activists.Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has offered what appear to be concessions to the opposition as anti-government protests spread.
But opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko said the protesters now wanted the president to resign.
In Kiev, protesters were again throwing Molotov cocktails and stones at police.
As night fell, they also burned tyres on the barricades on Hrushevskyy Street - the scene of recent deadly clashes near the main protest camp on the capital's Independence Square.
Fireballs lit up the sky and plumes of thick smoke rose from the burning tyres.
Riot police responded with tear gas and dozens of protesters were treated at a makeshift medical area. Witnesses said several arrests were made.
Earlier, the protesters seized a number of government offices across Ukraine.
The crisis escalated this week when the first deaths in the unrest happened.
Two protesters were shot dead during clashes on Hrushevskyy Street. The opposition says they were killed by riot police or snipers - the government denies the claim.
And an activist was found dead in woods near Kiev after apparently being abducted, tortured and left to die in the snow.
The demonstrations were initially triggered by Mr Yanukovych's government last-minute decision to ditch a proposed association and free trade deal with the EU in November - under heavy pressure from neighbouring Russia.
But the protests later widened their demand to include the fight against what activists say are widespread government corruption and abuse of power.
The authorities deny the allegations.
'All legal means'
At a meeting with religious leaders in Kiev, Mr Yanukovych pledged to change the anti-protests laws rushed through parliament last week and reshuffle the government at an urgent session of parliament due to begin on Tuesday.
And he said an amnesty would be granted to those detained activists who had not committed "grave crimes".
But Mr Yanukovych vowed to use "all legal means" if a solution to the crisis were not found.
He also said that those officials linked to the use of force against the protesters would be sacked.
Speaking shortly afterwards, Mr Klitschko, a former heavyweight world champion, said the offer had come too late.
"Today, people are demanding the resignation of the president," he was quoted as saying by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Talks between the opposition and the president have stalled. On Thursday night, protesters in Kiev's Independence Square - widely known as Maidan - voted to stop any further talks, and the decision was taken to expand the main protest camp.
State of emergency call
On Friday, the anti-government demonstrators expanded their protests.
In the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk, some 1,500 protesters occupied the regional administration and barricaded themselves in the building. They are now demanding that the local governor should resign immediately.
In Kiev, women begged riot police not to attack protesters
A slogan inside the newly occupied agricultural policy ministry reads "Power to the people"
Protesters said they had moved into the building to get out of the cold and to rest
On Independence Square, snow covers the protesters' tents
In Chernivsti, also in the west, crowds stormed the governor's office as police tried to protect the building. People shouted "Shame on you!" and "Resign!"
In Lutsk, in the north-west, a big demonstration was being held outside the local administration.
Regional offices were being blockaded in the western city of Uzhgorod and unrest was reported in the eastern city of Sumy.
Meanwhile, in Lviv, protesters have built barricades around the governor's office that they seized on Thursday. There were also reports that some members of the special police, Berkut, were resigning.
Separately, the parliament of the Crimean Autonomous Republic - seen as a staunch supporter of Mr Yanukovych - urged the president to declare a state of emergency.
In Kiev, a government building was also occupied by the protesters.
Justice Minister Olena Lukash said on Thursday that further negotiations would take place, without saying when.
Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko issued a statement guaranteeing that police would not take action against the protest camp on Independence Square.
He urged police officers to "exercise restraint and not to react to petty provocations".
Earlier, his ministry apologised after video footage emerged showing police humiliating a protester, who was made to walk around naked in the snow.
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