Merriam-Webster defines Terrorism as:

Systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective. It has been used throughout history by political organizations of both the left and the right, by nationalist and ethnic groups, and by revolutionaries. Although usually thought of as a means of destabilizing or overthrowing existing political institutions

The crisis in Ukraine has now reached an international boiling point. However, most media outlets are not discussing or reporting on new evidence regarding the Ukrainian sniper killings that caused of death of dozens of Ukrainian citizens, protesters, and police.

On February 19, 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine’s Security Service announced it was calling a nationwide anti-terrorist campaign because massive stocks of weapons had been looted from warehouses in western Ukraine.

Euronews reported showing violence against Ukrainian protesters. The gunmen depicted in the video shooting protesters are identified as Ukrainian Police. Yet, Euronews also reports that Ukrainian police disclosed they also were victims of sniper attacks and several officers were killed or injured by sniper fire.

The report of snipers targeting police is confirmed by video of Ukrainian protesters shooting rifles from a hotel room window.

The video of snipers targeting people from inside buildings is independently confirmed by RT journalist, Aleksey Yaroshevsky, who reported snipers firing from buildings all around Independence Square and that rioters were in control of several buildings in and near the city center. He further reports protesters affiliated with the Right Sector Neo-Nazi group attacked the police with heavy casualties on both sides.

Yaroshevsky also confirms at least 15,000 rounds of ammunition, 300 handguns, and machine guns were stolen by protesters from western Ukraine and he witnessed protesters with rifles and handguns in the lobby of a hotel that was serving as the headquarters of the rioters.

On March 5, a phone call between Estonia’s Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton was leaked online.  Regarding the sniper attacks, Paet says:

"What was quite disturbing, this same Olga told as well that all the evidence shows that the people who were killed by snipers from both sides, among policemen, and then people from the streets, that they were the same snipers killing people from both sides.” “She then also showed me some photos she said that as a medical doctor she can say that it is the same handwriting, the same type of bullets, and it’s really disturbing that now the new coalition, that they don’t want to investigate what exactly happened.” “There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers, it was not Yanukovich, but it was somebody from the new coalition.” "It already discredits from the very beginning this new coalition."

After the call was leaked, Estonia Foreign Minister Paet confirmed the recording’s authenticity while disclosing the call occurred on February 25.

These new facts, when taken in the context of the weapons theft, confirm the gunmen recorded on the February 20 video killing protesters were not Ukrainian police acting under the direction of Yanukovich.

What is most disturbing is a video uploaded to YouTube on February 19, captioned:

ЖИД пашинский cо снайперской винтовки с глушителем стрелял в “Беркут” а так же “майданутых” с целью выдать их трупы за жертв режима ! номера машины HONDA – АА 4735 СО . снято 18.02.2014.народный депутат от «Батькивщины» сергей пашинский !

As I do not speak Russian, I resorted to Google Translate (Thank you, Google):

LIQUID Pashinsky co sniper rifle with a silencer shot “Berkut” as well as “maydanutyh” in order to give their bodies for the victims of the regime! car number HONDA – AA 4735 SB. photographed 18.02.2014.MP from the “Fatherland” Sergei Pashinsky!

The video is a newscast from 112.ua News Agency, a Ukrainian News Agency, and according to the caption, the raw footage was taken on February 18. According to the caption, the driver of the car, Sergei Pashinsky, is a member of the Ukrainian Fatherland political party.

In the video, the car is stopped by protesters and searched. Inside the trunk was a sniper rifle with an attached silencer in a case. The protesters replaced the rifle and allowed the Honda to leave.

On or before, February 19, at least 300 weapons and 15,000 rounds of ammunition were stolen from western Ukraine.

The Ukrainian snipers targeted police, reporters, and protesters indiscriminately from inside buildings around Independence Square, many of them controlled by protesters, including members of the Right Sector.

Two days before the February 20 Independence Square Massacre, Sergei Pashinsky’s Honda was stopped by protesters. In the trunk they found a sniper rifle and a silencer, yet they did not confiscate it and let him go.

All this information above was online and/or publicly available at the time of the Paet/Ashton phone call over a week ago.

Why isn’t this being investigated?

If the snipers were extremist protesters targeting their own faction and police, then they could potentially be found guilty of terrorism.

Further, the investigation could be the catalyst to give cooler heads an opportunity to negotiate a diplomatic solution -- such as following and enforcing the terms of the agreement already signed by Yanukovich and opposition leaders that was supported by members of the EU and the White House.

Photo Source: The Telegraph