Ukrainian capital Kiev remained tense on Monday (January 20) after a night of clashes between radical groups of protesters and riot police, which left scores injured on both sides.

A group of young masked demonstrators attacked a cordon of police with sticks and tried to overturn a bus blocking their way to the parliament building after opposition politicians called on people to disregard the new tough anti-protest legislation.

Despite appeals from opposition leaders not to resort to violence, and a personal intervention from boxer-turned-politician Vitaly Klitschko, protesters continued to throw smoke bombs and hurl fireworks and other objects at police.

The Interior Ministry said 30 police were hurt, including more than 10 admitted to hospital and four in serious condition.

On Monday morning the street in central Kiev leading to the parliament building where fierce clashes took place overnight was blocked by the riot police. Small groups of protesters remained nearby.

Klitschko tweeted that President Viktor Yanukovich had agreed to set up a committee on Monday to settle the political crisis.

The rally on Sunday (January 19), the biggest of the new year, was the latest in a cycle of public protests in the former Soviet republic since Yanukovich made a policy U-turn in November away from the European Union towards Russia, Ukraine's former Soviet overlord.

Several big protests in December attracted hundreds of thousands of people, while thousands maintained a vigil in a Kiev square demanding Yanukovich resign. Since the New Year demonstrations have become smaller, but hundreds of people are still camping in the square and 50,000 turned out a week ago.

Presented by Adam Justice