KIEV — Clashes broke out Tuesday between demonstrators and police in front of Ukraine's parliament in Kiev as deputies inside repeatedly voted down proposals to recognize a contentious World War II-era Ukrainian partisan group as national heroes.
Thousands of Svoboda nationalist party supporters rallied earlier in the capital in celebration of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, whose struggle for independence for Ukraine was tainted by its collaboration with the Nazis.
Later, masked men attacked and threw smoke grenades at lines of police outside parliament as lawmakers met inside. The Interior Ministry said 36 people were detained by police.
Meanwhile, at least 14 people, including seven civilians and seven servicemen, were killed in fighting between pro-Russian separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine. A cease-fire has been in place since early September but violations are reported daily.
Svoboda said its members were not responsible for the unrest in Kiev, which police said was orchestrated by a small group of people at the rally.
