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.

Protesters in Kiev lifted their siege of Ukraine’s government building today as tensions following weeks of demonstrations ebbed with parliament’s adoption of electoral reform before a new presidential run-off vote at the end of the month.

Ukraine’s Supreme Court began discussing the validity of the presidential election results today, as political tensions heightened in the country.