The fight erupted outside a cafe on Kiev's main Khreshchatik thoroughfare after a crowd of England f

An altercation between England and Ukraine fans in the centre of Kiev after which three Britons were briefly hospitalised enterprise rent cars has heightened tensions in the runup to Tuesday's crucial World Cup match in the city.
The fight erupted outside a cafe on Kiev's main Khreshchatik thoroughfare after a crowd of England fans became involved in an argument with a group of Ukrainians. Some witnesses said at least one Ukrainian had a knife, but police deny knives were used.
Three Britons, aged 19, 22 and 23, were treated in hospital for cuts and bruises. "It was an ordinary men's fight without any knives," said witness Igor Mykhalko, denying that the Ukrainians were skinheads. "Just ordinary guys," he said. "This could happen in any country between football fans." He added that the trio "went on partying" once discharged.
Tim White, a Briton working in Ukraine, who witnessed the incident, told journalists that he saw the blood on the pavement and broken glass. enterprise rent cars He said that about 100 British fans had been partying at the Shato cafe. After the fight, he saw a man with cuts on his arm and "a guy lying on the ground had a lot of blood coming out from his hand".
Kevin Miles, director of international affairs of the Football Supporters' Federation, said: "My understanding was that there was a group of English fans drinking beer outside the pub on Khreschatyk called the Shato, enterprise rent cars and they had flags outside and the Ukrainians came to steal the flags."