KIEV, Jan. 23 - A Ukrainian government minister has apologized after a protester detained amid mass rallies in Kiev was stripped naked and forced to stand in snow while being mocked and assaulted by riot police.

KIEV, Jan. 23 - Violent protests in Ukraine have spread beyond the capital, Kiev, even as President Viktor Yanukovych held crisis talks with three key opposition leaders.

KIEV, Jan. 23 - A Ukrainian student has told the BBC he was tortured by riot police after being arrested during violent clashes in Kiev on Monday night.

KIEV, Jan. 23 – Ukraine's crisis appears set to escalate after President Viktor Yanukovych on Thursday rejected protesters’ demands and opposition leaders decided to withdraw from negotiations aimed at easing the standoff.

KIEV, Jan. 22 - Ukraine is steadily walking the path of democratic reforms, President Viktor Yanukovych said.

"We have set ourselves the task of entering the family of European nations," he said at a meeting on the occasion of the Day of Unity and Liberty at the Ukraina National Palace of Arts in Kiev on Wednesday.

KIEV, Jan. 23 – Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk and his EastOne investment group will sponsor a 9th annual Ukrainian panel discussion on Friday in Davos at the World Economic Forum, Pinchuk’s foundation reported Tuesday.

KIEV, Jan. 23 – The volume of monetary gold in the international reserves of Ukraine in 2012 increased by 26.5%, to 1.14 million troy ounces, according to the National Bank of Ukraine.

KIEV, Jan. 23 - The government at a meeting on Wednesday approved a production sharing agreement with Royal Dutch Shell to allow the oil major tap vast shale gas deposits in the country.

KIEV, Jan. 23 – Ukrainian opposition lawmakers successfully collected 158 signatures under a petition initiating an emergency session of Parliament on January 29, Arseniy Yatseniuk, an opposition leader, said Wednesday.

KIEV, Jan. 24 - European leaders will try to avoid meetings with President Viktor Yanukovych in Davos amid concerns over political persecution of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, a newswire reported Monday, citing a European Commission source.