Jim Heintz and Yuras Karmanau, The Associated Press
Published Sunday, December 8, 2013 9:52AM EST
Last Updated Sunday, December 8, 2013 5:59PM EST
KYIV, Ukraine — Hundreds of thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Ukraine’s capital on Sunday, toppling a statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin and blockading key government buildings in an escalating standoff with the president over the future of the country.
The biggest demonstration in the former Soviet republic since Ukraine’s pro-democracy Orange Revolution in 2004 led the government to fire back. It announced an investigation of opposition leaders for an alleged attempt to seize power and warned the demonstrators they could face criminal charges.
