Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians filled the streets of Kiev on Sunday — no longer focused solely on a trade agreement with the European Union, but now also looking to recast their country's frayed and corrupt political system.
The demonstrators represent disparate strains in Ukraine and do not have a cohesive leadership to guide them. They face steep odds in their effort to force President Viktor Yanukovych to resist the heavy pressure that Russia is exerting to keep Ukraine in its orbit.
Yet the sheer numbers demanding closer ties with Europe and a government that listens to its people has pushed the rickety Ukrainian political system closer to the breaking point.