Ukraine: Poroshenko orders high-level investigation into Rada grenade attack

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered a high-level investigation into the grenade attack and clashes that left one police officer dead and dozens more injured following a day of violence in Kiev, Monday. "I am charging you, Viktor Muzhenko [Chief of Armed Forces of Ukraine] you, Arseniy Yatsenyuk [Ukrainian Prime Minister] and you, Vasiliy Grytsak [Head of the Security Service of Ukraine] to establish a joint investigative group," Poroshenko said, adding that it should be a transparent investigation so the whole world can see the government's response to the incident. "Not only executers will be punished. Not only those, who used grenades, machine guns and baseball bats, but also their organisers and political customers," the Ukrainian president made clear. Earlier on Monday one police officer was killed and dozens of officers and National Guard serviceman injured after a grenade exploded outside the Verkhovna Rada. A combat grenade was thrown towards the police and National Guard officers who were trying to prevent protesters from getting too close to the Ukrainian parliament building. The officer was killed after being hit by shrapnel from the grenade. Clashes erupted earlier in the day after around 1,000 nationalist activists gathered outside the Ukrainian parliament to protest against a draft bill on constitutional changes that would grant greater autonomy to the Donbass region. The draft amendment will make constitutional changes regarding the status of Donbass. Protesters oppose what they see as Donbass being given greater autonomy, saying it would threaten the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Ukrainian MPs voted in favour of the bill following a tense session of parliament.