Anarchy in Kiev: Police cower from chain-wielding protestors and mob hurling petrol bombs as Ukraine teeters on the brink of revolution after 300,000 people take over Independence Square

Anger against president Viktor Yanukovych vetoing a pact for closer ties with the EU



Yanukovych accused of obeying a strong-arm demand by Russian president Vladimir Putin



Opposition leaders called for revolution and national strike held Monday in support of early elections




Ukraine is on the brink of anarchy and revolution tonight as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators demanded the resignation of pro-Russian authoritarian president Viktor Yanukovych.

There were deep fears that the popular uprising could spark a bloody crackdown and state of emergency from the frightened authorities.

'A revolution is starting in Ukraine,' declared opposition leader Oleh Tyagnybok, as a national strike was called for tomorrow in support of early presidential and parliamentary elections.

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A chain-wielding protester clashes with a line of riot police as Ukraine stands on the brink of revolution

A petrol bomb explodes in front of police during clashes with pro-European Ukrainian demonstrators near the presidential administration office in Kiev Protesters try to break through police lines near the presidential administration building using a bulldozer Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kiev as opposition leaders declared there was a revolution

'The government and president must resign,' demanded world boxing champion turned opposition leader Vitali Klitschko, as he urged police to disobey orders from the authorities.



'Do not work against the people,' he demanded.



Former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko told more than 300,000 protestors in central Kiev: 'Our plan is clear: this is no longer a rally or a protest. This is a revolution.'

Police used tear gas, truncheons and stun grenades in a bid to halt protesters who used a bulldozer seeking to storm Yanukovych's presidential administration.

Outrage erupted in Ukraine, the largest country in eastern Europe with a population of 46 million, after hardline president Yanukovych was accused of obeying a strong-arm demand by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and vetoing a pact for closer ties with the EU.

Today's protests defied a government ban on demonstrations on Independence Square and in the biggest show of anger over the president's refusal to sign an agreement with the European Union

Opposition leaders like former boxer Vitali Klitschko have called on president Yanukovych to resign As many as 100,000 demonstrators chased away police to rally in the centre of Ukraine's capital today People climb up onto a gate near the presidential administration building during the rally

Many pro-Westerners see the move as a step back to Ukraine's bleak Soviet past preventing it one day joining the European Union.

A bloody riot police crackdown on 1,000 peaceful protesters in central Kiev in the early hours of Saturday morning led to even more fury against the Ukrainian leader, even though he publicly distanced himself from the violent crackdown, and law enforcement chiefs apologised.

The people power protest today - which saw some public offices including the Kiev mayor's HQ occupied by demonstrators - was in defiance of a court order banning gatherings in Independence Square, iconic scene of the Orange Revoution of 2004 against vote-rigging by Yanukovych's henchmen.

Opposition activists claimed the security forces were deliberately staging violent provocations to give excuses for the authorities to stage a crackdown.

Men kneel down while riot police stand guard near the presidential administration building

Demonstrators fear Ukraine will become a puppet of Putin's Russia after the president rejected an EU deal Police used tear gas and stun grenades to halt protesters who used a bulldozer to try to storm the presidential headquarters Protesters tried to break the police line and into the presidential administration building using a bulldozer

'We know that the president wants to declare a state of emergency in the country,' warned former economy minister Arseny Yatsenyuk.

Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko vowed to 'harshly' crackdown on 'mass disturbances'.

The embattled president is due to fly to Russia this week to sign a 'roadmap' of new co-operation with Moscow. Coming just days after Ukraine rejected closer ties with the EU, this is likely to provoke further anger among protesters who believe their country will fall under Kremlin subjugation.

Main opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko remains in jail on what Western governments deem to be bogus political charges. She urged Ukrainians to maintain their protests against Yanukovych.

Lutsenko urged Ukrainians from the regions to surge on Kiev. 'We are not changing the president. We are changing the system of governance. We are changing Ukraine,' he said.

Klitschko demanded Yanukovych's toppling, warning of a government deaf to democracy which 'use police to beat people instead of protecting the law'.

Protesters react during a rally held by supporters of EU integration today and chanted 'down with the gang'

Protesters throw stones at police during escalating demonstrations against the president's foreign policy Opposition leaders called on protests to continue and a nationwide strike is being held tomorrow Missiles and petrol bombs have been thrown at riot police, days after a bloody crackdown on protests

Yatsenyuk alleged the president 'personally issued the instruction to beat people and killed our European dream. We are going to stand here until the demands of the Ukrainian people are met.'

'I want my children to live in a country where they don't beat young people,' said protester Andrey, 33.

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called on Kiev authorities to respect Ukrainians' right to free expression and assembly, which are 'fundamental to a healthy democracy'.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle also issued a strongly-worded statement saying: 'I vigorously call on the Ukrainian government to ensure freedom of assembly.'

A bloodied protester is pictured after being injured during clashes at a rally A masked protester hurls a rock towards police during the enormous protest on Sunday A protester lies on the ground after police pushed protesters off the street leading to the presidential administration building in downtown Kiev

Meanwhile, topless women from the Femen feminist movement urinated on pictures of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Paris to condemn a crackdown on protesters angry about his rejection of a key EU deal.

Five women from the group gathered in front of the Ukrainian embassy in the morning, bared their breasts and then took off their knickers to defile the photographs they placed on the sidewalk.