Ukranian leader sacks government in corruption row

UKRAINIAN President Viktor Yushchenko fired his seven-month-old government yesterday, dismissing the heroine of the Orange Revolution that brought him to power as well as one of its top financial backers.

The break-up, amid allegations of corruption, deepens a crisis that has cut into the popularity of the man whose poisoning and defiant stand against ballot-rigging seized the world's attention 10 months ago.

It left him looking isolated, in contrast to the broad coalition that joined last year's mass protests, which many Ukrainians saw as a new start for their nation.

"We've stepped away from the goals of the revolution," said Mr Yushchenko, adding he had to act against his friends for the sake of the nation. He accused them of turning against one another and focusing more attention on their infighting than on running the country of 48 million.

"I could not pretend that nothing was happening. Not for this did I survive a poisoning, not for this did people stand on the square. I had to take radical steps," said Mr Yushchenko, who rose to power on his promises to end the corruption that blackened his predecessor Leonid Kuchma's reign.

But dissolution of the government led by the charismatic Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and the decision to accept tycoon Petro Poroshenko's resignation from the Security and Defence Council, came at a dangerous time. Parliamentary elections are six months away and Mr Yushchenko must win to cement the gains of the Orange Revolution.

Instead, he could face a strong challenge from Ms Tymoshenko, should she join the opposition. She has long chafed at having to tone down her more radical impulses in the interests of keeping Ms Yushchenko's team together, and her popularity has not diminished.

"The thing that the president did today can only be called a betrayal," said Valentyn Zubov, who speaks on behalf of Ms Tymoshenko's parliamentary faction.

Mr Yushchenko looked relaxed when speaking to the media. But after delivering prepared remarks, he tried to leave without answering questions, and had to be persuaded to stay by his press secretary.

The dismissals came after Mr Poroshenko, whose agency controls Ukraine's military and law-enforcement, and other top officials were accused of corruption by some of their former Orange Revolution allies.