Kiev - Ukrainian Communists and nationalists faced off in the capital Kiev on Wednesday, with police struggling to keep the hundreds of angry marchers apart.

More than 300 Communists defied a court order and gathered in Kiev's central Maidan square by early morning, flying red Communist flags next to a stage scheduled to be used by nationalists later in the day.

Banners pitched by the Communists read, "Fascism shall not pass!" and "Down with traitors to the Motherland!"

Law-enforcement officials prevented reinforcements from either side from approaching the tents and the stage.

By midday, police had made no effort to remove Communist tents and banners in Maidan, making possible a clash with nationalists set to arrive later in the day to attend a folk concert at the same location.

A march honouring veterans of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was scheduled to occur on Kiev's main street, Khreschatyk, past the waiting Communists, in midafternoon.

Dozens of persons wearing UPA badges had gathered in Kiev's Shevchenko Park by midday, approximately 1 kilometre from the Communists.

UPA was an ethnic Ukrainian partisan group that fought against German and Soviet forces during World War II. Ukrainian nationalists mark October 14 as the anniversary of the founding of the army.

Many Ukrainian Communists consider the UPA and its supporters traitors to the Soviet Union. (dpa)