US President George W. Bush arrives in Ukraine for a two-day visit on Monday. Kiev authorities have taken unprecedented security measures as some 5,000 police and military officers were deployed in the city and Bush's guards have received permission to open warning fire, according to Newsru.ua website.

The main focus of the visit stands in Ukraine's attempts to get closer to NATO, which Bush supports. But opponents of such a move organized protests in Kiev, with banners urging "Yankee go home" and depicting a blunter "Fuck Bush". Some 5,000 supporters of the Communist party in Ukraine attended the anti-NATO demonstration in Kiev.

Authorities urged Kiev citizens to avoid moving downtown and driving restrictions have been imposed in the centre of the city.