Barricades erected on Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in central Kiev. The Berehynia (Bereginia) statue is visible in the distance and a Ukrainian flag has been draped over the barricades. The Square, renamed Euro Maidan by protesters who have camped out there since 21 November 2013, has become the focal point for an enduring protest movement against the government of Viktor Yanukovych. The protests were sparked by the Ukrainian government's decision to suspend preparations for the signing of an association agreement with the European Union that would have increased trade with the EU.