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.

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.

Ukraine’s political crisis escalated ahead of a key court session today to probe the disputed presidential election’s validity, with an eastern province scheduling a referendum on autonomy and the opposition threatening to tighten a blockade against top officials in the bitterly divided nation.

As Ukraine’s political opposition savoured a court victory blocking official publication of results in a disputed presidential election, three European envoys were headed to the ex-Soviet republic today on a quest to nudge the two candidates’ camps into talks.

Opposition leaders in Ukraine prepared today for a nationwide strike to protest the government’s decision to name Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych winner of a presidential election amid allegations of vote-rigging.

TEMPERS were rising as temperatures plummeted in Ukraine last night and talk of revolution was in the air after officials declared that Kremlin-backed Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych had been elected president.

Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma called for negotiations among all sides in Ukraine hours after opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko declared himself the winner of a disputed presidential election.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators were flooding the centre of the Ukrainian capital Kiev today in protest at the alleged fraud in electing a pro-Moscow president.