Ukraine on brink of civil war as vote crisis deepens

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.

It sharpened a crisis sparked by the opposition candidate's allegations that the vote was rigged. The move prompted opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko to call for a nationwide strike to protest what his camp contends was brazen vote fraud.

"This decision puts Ukraine on the verge of civil conflict," Mr Yushchenko said, calling for a transport stoppage and other strike action.

Mr Yanukovych won 49.46% of Sunday's vote, against Mr Yushchenko's 46.61%, the election commission said in announcing the final results. Mr Yushchenko called the commission's final count "their latest crime".

"With this decision, they want to put us on our knees," he told his followers massed in Kiev's Independence Square, as the crowd chanted: "Shame! Shame!"

"My actions to combat the current regime will be even more consistent and powerful," he pledged.

Yuliya Tymoshenko, Mr Yushchenko's key ally, said the opposition will "surround all government buildings, block railways, airports and highways".

"We have a strict intention to seize power in our hands at these sites," she said. She also said that the opposition would go to Ukraine's Supreme Court tomorrow to protest against the alleged election fraud.

Meanwhile, Mr Yanukovych said negotiations with the opposition would begin today, the Interfax news agency reported.

No other details of his statement were immediately available.

Within minutes of the announcement by the Central Election Commission, some opposition supporters began heading from their encampment on Kiev's central avenue to the presidential administration building.

That building was the scene of a tense stand-off on Tuesday night, as protesters faced a phalanx of shield-wielding riot police.

Outside the election commission building, throngs of Mr Yanukovych supporters celebrated by guzzling vodka and shouting their candidate's name.

No Yushchenko supporters were seen around the building.

The opposition has said it is concerned security forces or Yanukovych supporters might take action to clear the opposition protests once a victory for the prime minister was certified.

Mr Yushchenko earlier appealed to security forces not to strike out at the protesters but to "rise to the defence of the people".

Western election observers said the vote was seriously flawed and did not meet democratic standards, and exit polls showed a victory for Mr Yushchenko, a pro-Western reformer.

Mr Yushchenko told his supporters that a symbolic oath of office that he took a day earlier "was the first step, but we need to carry on to the end. God forbid anybody doubts that we will win".