Ukraine marks tragic date amid setback on EU hopes

Thousands of Ukrainians marched Saturday through central Kiev to commemorate the 80th anniversary of a devastating Soviet-era famine that killed millions amid public anger over the government's decision to snub a potential landmark deal with the European Union and tilt toward Moscow, AP reported. The famine was engineered by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in 1932-33, in an attempt to force peasants to join collective farms. Ukraine's parliament has labeled the famine, known here as Holodomor - or death by hunger - as genocide. Meanwhile, over 1,000 activists protested on Kiev's main square, days after the government froze plans to sign the EU deal after pressure from Moscow. A larger rally is planned for Sunday. After months of promising to sign a long-awaited political and trade accord with the EU, the government announced Thursday that it was halting those plans and would focus on restoring ties with Russian instead. The move has been deemed a victory for Moscow, which has used threats and sanctions to keep Ukraine in its orbit.