3,000 Tymoshenko supporters in Kiev protest

THOUSANDS of Ukrainians faced off outside parliament in Kiev yesterday as the allegedly pro-Russian policies of new president Viktor Yanukovich deepened divisions in the country.

About 3,000 supporters of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko denounced Mr Yanukovich as hundreds of his backers formed a ring around parliament. At least 1,000 riot police wielding truncheons kept the two sides apart.

Opposition protesters brandished posters saying “Yanukovich betrayed Ukraine” and “Yanukovich! Halt! Do not sell out Ukraine!”, while government supporters carried banners declaring “We support the actions of our president” and “No to the revolutionaries!”

Since narrowly defeating Ms Tymoshenko in a February election, Mr Yanukovich has been quick to strengthen Ukraine’s ties with traditional master Moscow.

His predecessor Viktor Yushchenko sought to reduce Russian influence and align Kiev with the European Union and United States after the so-called Orange Revolution in the winter of 2004-05.

Mr Yanukovich has agreed to let the Russian navy retain a base on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast until at least 2042, in exchange for a 30 per cent reduction in the price of Russian gas imports.

Ms Tymoshenko and Mr Yushchenko – who ruled as prime minister and president in a stormy on-off alliance – had vowed to evict the Russian fleet when its current lease on the base ran out in 2017, and say the new deal undermines Ukrainian sovereignty.

Mr Yanukovich claims the pact will help Ukraine’s moribund economy. He has made clear it he is open to deeper co-operation with Russia, something that most Ukrainians in eastern and southern regions support, but most people in the west of the country strongly oppose.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has suggested that his country might form a joint nuclear power company with Ukraine or seek to merge Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom with Ukraine’s state gas firm Naftogaz.

Critics say such deals would benefit the bigger Russian partners and give them a stranglehold on Ukraine’s economy. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev plans to visit Kiev next week. Fearing secret deals, Ukraine’s opposition wants the government to reveal what will be discussed.

“They are selling everything: our territory, our independence, our identity,” Ms Tymoshenko told protesters outside parliament.

“Everything that has happened over Crimea and the Black Sea fleet . . . was directed at belittling our independence,” she added.