DHAKA: Thousands of protesters have spent the night in freezing cold in the centre of the Ukrainian capital Kiev, after Sunday’s huge anti-government rally.

A group of protesters smashed the city’s statue of the Russian revolutionary leader Lenin, and brought its dismembered parts as trophies to Independence Square.

The protesters want close ties with the EU, not a customs union with Russia.

They have erected barricades outside the main government building.

The protesters have demanded the resignation of president Viktor Yanukovych’s government and elections for the presidency and government.

They condemned Yanukovych for refusing to sign an association agreement with the EU last month. He said he shelved it because it would put trade with Russia at risk.

Hundreds of thousands of people took part in Sunday’s protest, the biggest so far in nearly three weeks of opposition demonstrations in Kiev.

On Monday a column of 20 police buses and trucks headed towards the capital from Vasylkiv, 20km south of the city, Ukraine’s 5 Kanal TV reported, says the BBC.

BDST: 1651 HRS, DEC 09, 2013