Ukrainian National TV will give air time on Tuesday to opposition MPs who briefly seized the channel's news studio.

The invasion came on the eve of a planned mass protest against President Leonid Kuchma.

Giorgy Gongadze: Disappearance has sparked unrest

Opposition leaders and 200 of their supporters raided UT1 offices in the capital, Kiev, forcing the station to cancel its Monday evening news programme.

Police arrived later, but the protesters agreed to leave after Ukrainian national TV boss Ihor Storozhuk offered the opposition air time on Tuesday.

About 55,000 people across the country joined a mass demonstration last week to demand Mr Kuchma's resignation, and another rally is planned on Tuesday.

The protest last week took place on the second anniversary of the disappearance of campaigning journalist Georgy Gongadze.

The opposition accuses Mr Kuchma of ordering Mr Gongadze's assassination, but the Ukrainian president has denied the allegations.

Protesters evicted

Mr Kuchma also is accused of illegal arms sales to Iraq.

Mr Kuchma was re-elected in November 1999 to a second five-year term and has since seen his poll ratings plunge.

Opposition leaders said they expect tens of thousands of protesters to turn out on Tuesday.

Opposition leaders say the authorities took several measures aimed to deter people from protesting last week.

President Kuchma denies any involvement

On the day of the demonstrations, 17 September, state and private television channels were pulled off the air until mid-afternoon for what officials said was routine maintenance.

Opposition leaders also reported numerous cases of officials obstructing transport to protest sites.

Early on 17 September, baton-wielding riot police destroyed a tent camp, evicting some 1,500 protesters near the presidential office.

Police forcibly evicted a smaller tent camp set up by protesters in the eastern city of Kharkiv early on Sunday.