UN chief urges 'immediate end' to Ukraine violence

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon Wednesday called for an "immediate end" to the violence in Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine, where deadly clashes have caused heavy casualties.

Ban continued to follow developments in Ukraine with increasing alarm. "He urges an immediate end to the violence in the strongest terms and again stresses that resorting to such measures by any side is totally unacceptable," Xinhua quoted a statement issued here by UN chief's spokesperson.

Protests in Ukraine, which began last November to back the country's European integration, turned violent in mid-January.

On Tuesday and in the early hours of Wednesday, at least 26 people died in street clashes between the riot police and protesters in Kiev. The confrontation also left 263 protesters and 342 officers injured.

"The Secretary-General equally urges the government to desist from the use of excessive force, underscoring the need for the authorities to abide by international human rights norms," the statement said.