A fist fight broke out in Ukraine’s parliament on Tuesday as tempers rose between opposing factions provoked by the events in the east of the country, where separatists activists have seized a number of government buildings amid large pro-Russian demonstrations.
Nationalist parliament members from the Svoboda Party were angered by a speech given by the head of the Communist party, who accused them of setting a precedent for violent demonstrations and seizing government buildings earlier this year when President Viktor Yanukovych and his government were ousted.
Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko also said that Ukrainian nationalists have in fact played into Russia’s hands and fulfilled their plan on how to destabilise Ukraine.
Several lawmakers threw punches at each other, including a female member of parliament who punched Svoboda party member, Yuriy Mykhalchyshyn, the lawmaker who physically interrupted the speech.
The brawl lasted about a minute in total.
Parliament later voted to toughen punishment for undermining Ukraine’s national security, imposing jail terms of up to 5 years for separatism.
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