Visual Refs, the Hotel
What's obvious is obvious.
Moving on then, to the evidence. Anyone who wants to engage their eyes, for reference:
Scene map
41-minute video (filmed roving amongst events - main massacre sequence is about 12:00-20:00, and sporadically thereafter)
2.5 minute video (filmed from the hotel)
A list of analysis videos
Reports say the hotel Ukraine was generally taken over by the protesters/insurgents on the 18th. They had their field clinic there on the 20th, and "armed protesters" were in charge of security, at one point going room to room "looking for snipers." (these background details still need added to and organized to be more clear, but that's a good reading thus far). Any sniper shots fired by anyone not invited in by them would have a pretty narrow room to operate. It's possible, but a problematic notion.
There was a BBC news report, filmed on the 20th but
only released a week later, which is interesting (we'll see why). In this, BBC reporter Gabriel Gatehouse films the aftermath of the mid-day sniper massacre by the Ukraine Hotel, no clues to that.
Some reports though said that was from the hotel. But later in the day, just after sunset it seems, the BBC team came "under sniper fire" from the hotel. Gatehouse saw which window, and that the shooter was "wearing one of the protesters green helmets." About an hour later it was a Sky News reporter who had more protesters come to their room,
looking for the/a sniper. The room he was in was identified. He must have escaped that room, and they probably never did find him.
Okay, report not filed yet, Gatehouse comes with British forensic experts and opp. activists on the 24th to get their best overall reading of where the snipers were in Kiev, analyzing supposed bullet holes and such.
Report aired the 25th.. Four positions identified - the National bank, balcony - the Bankova Vultysya tower - a roadblock between and just north of the two - #4 unclear, either the National Bank roof, or they mean the October Palace, which was of course vacated of Berkut and taken over by insurgents just before the sniper massacre, so let's hope not.
As for the roadblock cited, just past the Metro station,
Here's video of, I believe, three Berkut vacating that very area under gunfire (sniper? From the hotel?), and another person following, aiming a rifle in their direction. Just minutes before the victims were sent in and the massacre started. That's your "third force" in action.
They didn't once in this early but supp. comprehensive look say anything about the hotel, except that there was shooting towards it. Then he released his report with a green-helmet "sniper" in the hotel.
Then and more so now, people started realizing the hotel is the main place that matters. That's where the well-documented brutal stuff happened (see analysis videos, above - doesn't the overall direction suggest the west half of the hotel, and only slightly above the victims? It's one a steep slope behind so ground = maybe 3rd floor). On the 5th, as the Paet-Ashton call was published, the Interior Ministry says it's got three firing locations identified for this "third force" - the National Bank (there were casings on the roof!), the "house of Chimeras" (an official residence next to Y's presidential administration building) and ... of course the hotel. (see AP March 7)
So there's another clue. The role of the hotel sniper(s) shifting all over like that suggests conflicting attempts to limit our awareness. When it became clear there might be serious attention, they cut short the stupid game of denying the hotel, and started a new one of having sooper-seekrit Russian snipers in there. Or that's my suspicion anyway.