Riot police storm office of opposition

Ukraine: Anti-government protests cripple capital for yet another day

Heavily armed riot troops broke into the offices of a top Ukrainian opposition party office in Kiev last night as anti-government protests crippled the capital for yet another day.

Elsewhere police dismantled or blocked off several small protest tent camps near key national government buildings.

Tensions also rose as a double cordon of riot police deployed in the street near Kiev’s city administration building, which demonstrators had occupied and turned into a makeshift command post and dormitory.

The moves came a day after hundreds of thousands of demonstrators crammed into Kiev, the biggest in three weeks of protests that started when Ukraine’s president backed away from signing a long - awaited pact to deepen ties with the 28-nation European Union.

Protesters are angered not only by the thwarting of their desire to become closer to the west, but by police violence against the demonstrators.

Ostap Semerak, a member of the Fatherland Parry, said troops broke into the its offices last night, some climbing in through its windows. “They are storming us. The images are insane,” he said by telephone.

The troops left after confiscating computer equipment, he said.

The party is headed by imprisoned former prime Yulia Tymoshenko, a longstanding foe of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Critics say Tymoshenko’s conviction on abuse of office charges was a case of political revenge.

In a surprise move, Yanukovych announced he would sit down with three former Ukrainian presidents today to discuss a way out of the crisis that has paralysed the country.