Dead Man Found Hanging In Kyiv’s Independence Square

KYIV, Jan 27 (Reuters) – A 55-year-old man was found dead on Monday hanging from the framework of a huge artificial ‘New Year tree’ in central Kyiv which has become a symbol of anti-government resistance, Ukrainian police said.
Police said they removed the body, which was hanging inside the cone-shaped tubular steel construction on Kyiv’s Independence Square. The ‘tree’ is festooned with a poster of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko and scrawled with graffiti attacking President Viktor Yanukovich.
The body, that of a man from Volyn region in western Ukraine, bore no external wounds and was being examined to establish the cause of death, the police statement said.
The incident was especially bizarre since the square has been swarming with protesters day and night since the onset of mass protests against Yanukovich in early December. (Writing by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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  • A woman holds a statue of Jesus in front police officers as they block a street after clashes in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

  • A Ukrainian woman holds a statue of Jesus in front riot police as they stand guard during the on-going anti-government protests in central Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 22, 2014. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

  • A police officer uses a shotgun during clashes with protesters in central Kyiv, Ukraine, early Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • A police officer detains a protester as a woman tries to defend him with a cross during clashes in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • A protester in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

  • A protester points a handgun during a clash with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

  • Protesters prepare to clash with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

  • A protester prepares to throw a Molotov cocktail during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Evgeny Feldman)

  • Protesters clash with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

  • Paramedics put a wounded man on a stretcher and into a medical vehicle to take him away from the scene of clashes between police and demonstrators in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

  • Pro-government hired thugs, referred to as “titushki” are captured by protesters in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

  • Pro-government hired thugs, referred to as “titushki” are captured by protesters in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

  • A pro-European Union activist shouts slogans during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov, File)

  • A police officer beats a protester during clashes in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Protesters clash with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

  • Paramedics carry a wounded protestor on a stretcher away from clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Protesters throw tires onto a fire during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Police officers drag a protester during clashes in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Protesters throw tires onto a fire during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Protesters throw tires onto a fire during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Protesters clash with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • A protesters throws stone during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

  • Protesters throw tires onto a fire during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

  • A protesters throws a stone during clashes with police in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

  • Pro-European Union activists gather during a rally in the Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

  • Ukrainian lawmaker and chairman of the Ukrainian opposition party Udar (Punch), WBC heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, gestures while speaking to Pro-European Union activists during a rally in the Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

  • Eugenia Tymoshenko, daughter of jailed Ukrainian former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko speaks to Pro-European Union activists during a rally in Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

  • Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

  • Ukrainians wearing Cossack costumes and Pro-European Union activists attend a rally in Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

  • A European Union flag flies above a crowd of Pro-European Union activists gather during a rally in the Independence Square in KIev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in the Independence Square, KIev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

  • Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in the Independence Square, KIev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

  • Pro-European Union activists shout slogans during a rally in the Independence Square, KIev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

  • A teenager waves a national flag over a crowd of Pro-European Union activists gathered during a rally in the Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

  • Ukrainian people attend a mass rally called ‘The March of a Million’ on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. (GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images)

  • People shout slogans during a mass rally called ‘The March of a Million’ under the snow on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

  • People gather on Kyiv’s Independence Square to attend a mass rally on December 8, 2013. (VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

  • Riot police (second grond) guard at Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych office after a mass rally called ‘The March of a Million’ gathered on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of pro-EU Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv on December 8 for a new protest aimed at forcing Yanukovych to resign after he sparked fury by rejecting an EU pact under Kremlin pressure. (VIKTOR DRACHEV/AFP/Getty Images)

  • A Ukrainian man serves soup at a camp set up by opposition demonstrators on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. (VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

  • People attend a mass rally called ‘The March of a Million’ under the snow on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. (DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV/AFP/Getty Images)

  • A protester raises her fist as people shout slogans during a mass rally entitled ‘The March of a Million’ on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. (SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

  • People attend a mass rally called ‘The March of a Million’ under the snow on Kyiv’s Independence Square on December 8, 2013. (DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV/AFP/Getty Images)