The number of people treated for exposure to toxic smoke from a phosphorus fire in Ukraine more than tripled today, from 20 to 69, a day after a train loaded with the chemical derailed and caught fire.

MPs supporting Ukraine's Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych asked the Constitutional Court today to consider the legality of the president's latest decree dissolving parliament and calling early elections, the court said.

Thousands of opponents of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych blocked the entrances to Ukraine’s Constitutional Court this morning, delaying a second day of hearings into the legality of the president’s decree to dissolve parliament.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has refused to accept a presidential order to hold early parliamentary elections.

President Viktor Yushchenko has dissolved Ukraine’s parliament and called early elections.

Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko dissolved Ukraine’s parliament today and called early elections.

Politicians who supported President Viktor Yushchenko during the Orange Revolution appealed to Ukrainians to return to Kiev’s Independence Square today for a rally.

A Russian businessman allied with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was fatally shot as he left a Kiev courthouse today, a city police spokesman said.

Ukrainian lawmakers today fired the foreign minister and interior minister, setting the stage for a legal battle between the president and the premier.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, visiting Moscow on a trip to mend relations after a bitter election campaign, appointed the Gas Princess as his prime minister today – a move likely to anger the Kremlin.

The Ukrainian Supreme Court began hearings today on what appeared to be the last appeal by former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych over alleged fraud in the presidential election he lost to Viktor Yushchenko.

The loser of Ukraine’s presidential election was poised to file complaints in court today to challenge the election victory of Western-leaning Viktor Yushchenko, a move that could prolong the political tensions that have plagued the country for months.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said today that he will resign from his post.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s appeal against the result of the presidential election re-run was rejected by the Central Election Commission today.

Ukraine Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych showed no signs of giving in to pressure to step down, insisting he would challenge the results of Sunday’s presidential vote that gave opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko a solid victory.

Noisy, orange-clad opposition protesters blockaded Ukraine’s government headquarters in Kiev today and prevented Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych from convening a Cabinet session.

Protesters gathered outside Ukraine’s government headquarters in Kiev today to prevent Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych convening the Cabinet.

Ukrainian Transport Minister Heorhiy Kirpa, a supporter of the trailing candidate in Sunday’s presidential election, apparently killed himself, an official said today.

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko celebrated his apparently decisive triumph in Ukraine’s protracted presidential contest today, thanking the protesters who spent weeks camped out in the capital’s frigid streets for securing his electoral victory and the nation’s freedom.

A Ukrainian court ruled today that recent legislation restricting voting rights violate the country’s constitution – clouding the presidential rerun vote a day before ballots are due to be cast.

Ukraine Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has warned that Sunday’s presidential revote might not be considered fair because election law reforms aimed at preventing fraud could deprive millions of Ukrainians of their votes.

A pro-opposition convoy trying to rally support for presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was turned back from his rival’s home town today after Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych’s supporters blocked the road.

Ukraine’s rival presidential candidates traded accusations in a charged televised debate that saw opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko accusing his opponent of stealing millions of votes in last month’s run-off, and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych urging whoever loses the court-ordered rerun to accept defeat.

Ukraine’s two rivals for the presidency clashed in a heated televised debate today before a re-run of their disputed election, with opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko (pictured) accusing his rival of vote stealing.

Ukraine’s bitter rivals for the presidency faced off in a much-anticipated televised debate tonight, with opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko accusing his rival of trying to steal the November runoff election that was later annulled because of fraud.

The rivals in Ukraine’s bitter race to be president were to face-off in a TV debate today as campaigning for the Boxing Day election intensified.

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko is sure he was poisoned by the government and today, for the first time, he pinpointed the time and place of his dioxin poisoning.

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych accused the United States today of meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs, claiming the Americans financed opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko’s presidential campaign.

MPs in Ukraine’s parliament reopened their investigation today into opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko’s mysterious illness after doctors in Austria determined he had been poisoned by dioxin.

Supporters of Ukraine’s opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko expressed little surprise today over revelations from a hospital in Austria that he was poisoned.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych accused his rival today of an unfair election campaign in the run-up to the December 26 re-run of the presidential vote and said his camp would retaliate.

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko promised today to prosecute government officials and their supporters for crimes committed during the last decade should he win the country’s December 26 re-run of the presidential election.

Ukraine’s two presidential candidates mapped out campaign strategies before the repeat of last month’s fraud-marred election run-off, as dozens of protesters maintained a vigil today outside the president’s office.

Ukraine’s outgoing President Leonid Kuchma today fired the country’s prosecutor general, following demands from the opposition.

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters sang and danced in noisy celebrations after Ukraine’s Parliament adopted electoral and constitutional changes they hope will pave the way for a fair ballot in a repeat of the disputed presidential election.

It is still not known what caused the illness that struck Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko during the election campaign, leaving his face scarred, the director of the hospital that treated him said today.

Rival factions in Ukraine’s parliament failed today to agree on passing electoral changes aimed at ensuring a fair vote in the nation’s December 26 presidential run-off.

Ukraine’s parliament will meet in emergency session on Tuesday to consider changes to the country’s electoral laws before the December 26 presidential run-off election.

Shrugging off a parliamentary setback and seizing on his Supreme Court victory, opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko pushed for quick passage of anti-fraud legislation to ensure a new vote is fair against his Moscow-backed rival, who has fallen out of public view.

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko kicked off campaigning for the December 26 presidential rerun with a call for quick passage of anti-fraud legislation as supporters began signing up en masse to monitor balloting and ensure a fair vote.

The campaign for a third round of voting in Ukraine’s bitterly fought presidential contest officially opened today, with activists signing up to monitor the election and a top ally of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko speaking confidently of victory.

The opposition candidate in Ukraine’s disputed presidential elections today urged foreign leaders to refrain from backing any candidate in the re-run of the vote.

Supporters of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko kept up their siege of government buildings today after pro-government lawmakers blocked election law changes designed to ensure fair balloting in a re-run of the country’s presidential runoff.

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko suffered a setback in the Ukraine’s parliament today when his foes blocked electoral amendments intended to avert fraud in a new presidential runoff later this month.