Yanukovich pledges government reshuffle

Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich, in what appeared to be an offer of concessions to the opposition amid violent protests against his rule, yesterday pledged to reshuffle the government next week and to amend sweeping anti-protest laws.

Yanukovich made his offer in comments to church leaders as the protesters erected more street barricades and occupied a government ministry building in Kiev ahead of what is expected to be another hot weekend of anti-government rallies.

The president’s Party of the Regions confirmed reports that two months of protests had spread to other parts of Ukraine, particularly to pro-European Union western regions, where it said “extremists” had seized administrative buildings.