Ukrainian riot police stormed the opposition party headquarters as protests raged throughout Kiev.

Fatherland Party member Ostap Semerak said troops broke into the offices yesterday night - some clambering through windows - and left after seizing computer equipment.

Earlier in the day hundreds of police began dismantling some of the protest tents and barriers that have been clogging up central Kiev for days - blockading government buildings.

Troops also reportedly surrounded several opposition media outlets, making their websites inaccessible.

President Viktor Yanukovych unleashed three weeks of protests after shelving a deal for closer ties with the EU and turn towards Moscow instead.

Opinion polls show Ukraine is generally pro-EU, though the east of the country wants closer ties with Russia.

He announced a "nationwide roundtable" yesterday where he will try to resolve the crisis with three former presidents.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is also due in the country today, ostensibly to help defuse tensions. But fully clad riot police lined up around three tent encampments as the Star went to press yesterday - provoking fears of violence.

Opposition leaders have pleaded with demonstrators to stop occupying buildings but also called on police not to use force on peaceful protests.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters poured into the streets on Sunday toppling a statue of former Soviet leader Lenin.

Police opened a probe into "mass riots" over the monument's vandalisation but said no-one had been arrested so far.