Protesters lay siege to security forces in Kiev

Ukrainian protesters laid siege to a Soviet-era building in central Kiev used as a base by the security forces, who remained holed up inside.

Some 2,000 stick-wielding protesters clad in helmets threw Molotov cocktails and smashed in windows of the Ukrainian House yesterday, shouting "Shame!" and climbing over sandbags into the building.

The security forces protected themselves with riot shields as well as by hurling stun grenades and attempting to douse the protesters with jets of water.

The protesters later in the night formed a corridor on the steps of the building -- the former Lenin Museum -- to allow the security forces to leave but there was no sign of any officers exiting.

Two ambulances could be seen also waiting outside and the Interfax news agency quoted an opposition activist on the scene as telling protesters one officer had been injured in the earlier clashes.