The Ukrainian governmental campaign aimed at convincing people to support the country's entry into NATO has faced a series of protests. There were anti-NATO rallies in Kiev on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday a fight broke out in Crimea's largest city of Simferopol between NATO supporters and protesters, where verbal abuse triggered a clash involving about 150 people. In April the alliance made it clear it will pave the way for the country's membership only if the majority of the population supports the move. Recent polls show that more than 60 per cent of Ukrainians are against NATO membership.