Putin condemns demand for revote

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin become more deeply embroiled in the Ukrainian crisis yesterday and attacked the opposition's push to repeat the nation's disputed presidential run-off election.

Mr Putin, a powerful ally of the Ukrainian government, denounced the opposition's demand for a repeat of Ukraine's bitterly contentious November 21 run-off vote.

"A revote could be conducted a third, a fourth, 25th time, until one side gets the results it needs," a grim-faced Mr Putin said, standing alongside Ukraine's outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma. The two met at Moscow's airport after Mr Kuchma flew in for a hastily organised visit as his government appeared to be losing momentum in the 11-day stand-off with the opposition.