Ukraine’s embattled president has offered to make a top opposition leader the prime minister, but it is unclear whether the overture will mollify the radical faction of protesters who have clashed with police for much of the last week.

Ukrainian protesters have released two police officers they seized and tortured, the head of the country’s police said – but a protest leader said the claim is a provocation aimed at justifying a crackdown.

The withdrawal of riot police from two areas in Ukraine’s capital is raising opposition hopes that three weeks of escalating protests have begun to erode police support for President Viktor Yanukovych and his government.

Anti-government protesters in Ukraine are claiming victory after riot police backed down from a showdown in Kiev’s main square.

UEFA have no new concerns over security measures for Euro 2012 despite a series of explosions in the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk today.