Opposition figure assumes power in Ukraine chaos
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A TOP Ukrainian opposition figure assumed presidential powers yesterday, plunging Ukraine into new uncertainty after a deadly political standoff — and boosting long-jailed Yulia Tymoshenko’s chances at a return to power.
The whereabouts and legitimacy of President Viktor Yanukovych are unclear after he left the capital for his support base in eastern Ukraine. He maintains parliament’s decisions in recent days are illegal, and a presidential aide said yesterday he will continue to fulfill his presidential duties.
The newly emboldened parliament, now dominated by the opposition, yesterday struggled to work out who is in charge of the country and its ailing economy.
Fears percolated that some regions might try to break away, after three months of political crisis that has left scores of people dead in a country of strategic importance to the United States, European nations and Russia.
Ukraine is deeply divided between eastern regions that are largely pro-Russian and western areas that widely detest Yanukovych and long for closer ties with the European Union.
Yanukovych’s shelving of an agreement with the EU in November set off the wave of protests, but they quickly expanded their grievances to corruption, human rights abuses and calls for Yanukovych’s resignation.
The Kiev protest camp at the center of the anti-Yanukovych movement filled with more and more dedicated demonstrators yesterday, setting up new tents after two days that saw a stunning reversal of fortune in Ukraine’s political crisis.
Tymoshenko’s name circulated as a possibility for acting prime minister pending May 25 presidential elections, but she issued a statement via her party asking supporters not to nominate her.
She may want to focus her energies instead on campaigning for president and building up strength after her imprisonment.
She spoke to excited crowds on Saturday night from a wheelchair because of a back problem aggravated during imprisonment, her voice cracked and her face careworn.
Russia’s position will be important for the future of this country, since Moscow has been providing financing to keep Ukraine’s economy afloat, and the two countries have deep but complicated ties.
The Kremlin has been largely silent about whether it still supports Yanukovych.
Russian legislator Leonid Slutsky said that naming Tymoshenko prime minister “would be useful for stabilizing” tensions in Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies.
Ministers replaced
The parliament, in a special session yesterday, voted overwhelmingly to temporarily hand the president’s powers to speaker Oleksandr Turchinov, a top ally of Tymoshenko.
The legislators also voted to replace a string of government ministers.
The legitimacy of the parliament’s flurry of decisions in recent days is under question. The votes are based on a decision on Friday to return to a 10-year-old constitution that grants parliament greater powers.
Yanukovych has not signed that decision into law, and he has said parliament is now acting illegally.
He has accused his opponents of trying to overthrow the government.
Presidential aide Hanna Herman said Yanukovych was in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv as of Saturday night and plans to stay in power. Still, Herman sought to distance herself from him somewhat yesterday, as did his party.
The past week has seen the worst violence in Ukraine since the breakup of the Soviet Union a quarter-century ago.
Orthodox priests held services yesterday to honor the dead.
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