Politicians' brawl yields early election as Ukraine protestors wait for deal

Ukraine's president has announced early elections and promised a coalition government.

It comes after scenes of fighting inside the parliament in Ukraine and footage has emerged of the politicians brawling amid negotiations this morning.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych made the promises in a bid to defuse a deep crisis in which scores have been killed and hundreds injured.

There was no immediate comment from opposition leaders, who were meeting among themselves.

In a statement on his website, Yanukovych said he would start the process for early elections but gave no date. He also promised constitutional reforms trimming presidential powers, a key demand of protesters.

The conflict is a battle over the identity of Ukraine, a nation of 46 million that has divided loyalties between Russia and the West.

Earlier the Ukrainian presidency has said it has negotiated a deal intended to end the violence but European mediators involved in the talks would not confirm a breakthrough.

The presidency said the government and opposition have agreed to sign the deal at noon local time (10am Irish time), but would not give details.

Several regions in the west of the country are in open revolt against the central government, while many in eastern Ukraine back the president and favour strong ties with Russia, their former Soviet ruler.

The demonstrators, who have camped for three months on Kiev’s Independence Square, known as the Maidan, are demanding Yanukovych’s resignation and early elections. The president, who triggered the protests by aborting a pact with the European Union in favour of close ties with Russia, has made some concessions but refused to step down.

The report of a deal followed the worst violence yet in the confrontation between the government and protesters.

Protesters advanced on police lines in the heart of the Ukrainian capital yesterday, prompting government snipers to shoot back and kill scores of people in the country’s deadliest day since the breakup of the Soviet Union a quarter of a century ago.

Dr Oleh Musiy, the medical coordinator for the protesters, said at least 70 protesters were killed yesterday and over 500 wounded. The Interior Ministry said three policemen were killed and 28 suffered gunshot wounds.

A statement on the website of the Health Ministry said 77 people had been killed between Tuesday morning, when the violence began, and this morning. The statement said 577 people had been wounded and 369 taken to hospital.

European diplomats, who were involved in the talks between Yanukovych and the opposition that went on for hours yesterday and continued into the night, urged caution and said they could not confirm an accord had been reached.