We will fight for our freedom.

We will fight for our democracy and we will fight for our soil.

And we don't allow anybody.

And the Russian will pay a huge price if they attack us.

Please get out from Ukraine.

Mr. Putin.

From the Heritage Foundation, I'm Michelle Cordero, and this is Heritage Explains. In order to understand what's going on in Ukraine, we need to go back to November 2013.

Ukrainian president at the time, Victor Yanukovych, was offered a trade deal with the European Union, Ukraine's western neighbor. But instead, Yanukovych took a bailout deal from Russia, Ukraine's eastern

neighbor. Many Ukrainians who wanted closer ties with Europe were really unhappy with this deal.

More than 200,000 protesters gathered in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev today, furious over

the government's refusal to sign a trade agreement with the European Union.

Police use tear gas and clubs to beat back demonstrators who surrounded President Viktor

Yanukovych's office.

They are demanding his resignation, saying the government is corrupt and too tied to Russia.

And it was very bad.

Serious violent protests and riots broke out among the divided country.

Yanukovych cracked down hard.

There are graphic photos and video footage of Ukrainians being beaten by government authorities.

It was terrible and led to the death of many Ukrainians.

And so Ukrainians revolted even more.

And ultimately, these protests led to a transition of power to a pro-Western government,

with Petro Poroshenko as the country's new president.

...