A Ukrainian national guard was killed and more than 130 others were injured in violent clashes between protesters and security forces outside country's national Parliament on Monday. The fracas between security forces and protesters led by ultra-nationalist Svoboda - or Freedom Party - erupted shortly after Ukrainian lawmakers gave initial approval to legislation aimed at giving more autonomy for rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, according to BBC. A total of 265 deputies out of 450 voted in support of the proposed legislation.
"All in all, 131 wounded are in hospitals and seven of them are in a heavy condition," said Olga Bogomolets, an official in Ukrainian President's office, according to TASS news agency. "One guard is in a coma and physicians don't give any forecasts on five more people for the time being."
A protester was detained on suspicion of throwing a hand grenade during the riot. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov confirmed a hand grenade was thrown during the protest, according to RFERL.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko described the protest as anti-Ukrainian and held organizers responsible for the violence.
"The protest outside the parliament in Kyiv earlier in the day was an anti-Ukrainian action for which all organizers, all representatives of political forces without any exception must carry full responsibility," Poroshenko said in a televised speech Monday evening, according to VOA News.
See the video of grenade thrower below:
