( CNN ) -- Ukraine has been wracked with ceaseless demonstrations for weeks as protesters demand constitutional reform and a closer relationship with Europe instead of Russia . A breakthrough finally came Tuesday : Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his government resigned , and the national parliament voted overwhelmingly to repeal sweeping anti-protest laws passed earlier this month . Still , activists say that while they 're pleased by these developments , their fundamental concerns have yet to be addressed . Amid the protests are accounts of police brutality and government intimidation . The desire for a government shake-up was spurred by the government 's decision in November to forgo a planned trade deal with the European Union , which many interpreted as a turn away from Europe and toward Russia instead . CNN iReport had the opportunity to speak to a native Ukrainian who has spent days on the streets of central Kiev , the power base of the opposition . The 31-year-old , who works as a project manager , has been photographing and standing alongside those who are protesting . He shared his thoughts and photos to provide a firsthand view of the demonstrations and the motivations behind them . Freddy UA asked to be identified with an alias for his protection because of the current state of his country . The interview below has been edited for clarity and brevity . CNN : When did you first get interested in the protesting ? UA : The Ukrainian people started protesting in November , after the authorities announced they were not ready to sign an agreement with the European Union . A lot of people , including me , were disappointed by this action . CNN : Why are people continuing to protest in Ukraine ? UA : After the violent crackdowns by police on peaceful demonstrations of students , the protests got another vector . People were scared of the bloody actions taken by the government . I saw thousands of peaceful protesters sing songs , dance , and recite poetry ( while ) ... under threat of violence by the police . The atmosphere was great at first , but after a while , a nightmare began . Ukraine government resigns , scraps anti-protest legislation . CNN : How would you describe the state of Kiev over the past few days ? UA : On January 26 , the atmosphere in Kiev was calmer than in previous days . At Independence Square everything is well . People are singing the national anthem every hour , listening to opposition politicians , celebrities , and famous figures who are speaking from the scene . CNN : Can you describe who the average Ukrainian protester is ? UA : The average protester is mostly middle-aged people with an active civil position . They are taking part in the protesting because they resent the arbitrariness of the authorities . CNN : Where else is protesting happening in Ukraine ? UA : The protests are going on not only in Kiev , but also in other cities -- mostly regional ones . People organize peaceful meetings , which the government is trying to disperse . But as far as I can tell , these actions do n't disrupt the life and work in these cities in general . CNN : What do protesters want the Ukrainian government to know ? UA : First of all , we hope that government will find the courage to recognize their illegal actions ; such as the use of force on peaceful protesters and will stop the violence from their side , will release all of protesters arrested earlier , and sit at the negotiations table with the opposition . Ukraine opposition rejects president 's offer . CNN : What are your thoughts on a possible truce between protesters and the government ? UA : I think that a truce will help the situation of course because we do n't want to see the blood and death on our streets ! I ca n't predict what will happen next , but I hope that government will finally stop the violence against civilians , will listen to its people , the world , and the European community and will start a constructive dialogue . CNN : How long will people continue to protest ? UA : Given what I hear from the protesters , they are willing to stay till the end and till the victory of democracy . Cold weather certainly has an impact on the protesters , but volunteers and citizens of Kiev bring them hot food and drinks like tea and coffee -- but not the alcohol . CNN : What do you want the world to know about the situation in Ukraine ? UA : I want people around the world to know about the situation in our country and support Ukrainians in the fight for freedom and democracy . We all want to live in a lawful state with an honest government and police that protects its people .
Ukrainian native Freddy UA has been documenting the protests in Kiev . He shared his photos online to show what 's happening in his country . The following is a video of him explaining why he decided to go on camera and share these images with us :