Ukranian protesters released by court

The United States has protested to Ukraine over the breaking up by police of an opposition demonstration against President Kuchma.

A State Department official Richard Boucher said President Bush had sent a message to President Kuchma warning that future aid would depend on the government's commitment to democracy and human rights.

Ukraine has received about two billion dollars from the US in the past ten years, behind only Israel and Egypt.

Police in Kiev dispersed about a-hundred protestors demanding an investigation into the murder of an opposition journalist, Georgiy Gongadze.

Mr Kuchma denies allegations he was involved in the murder. The Ukrainian prime minister, Viktor Yushchenko, has also publicly disagreed with President Kuchma over the police action.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service