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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Chaos as Ukraine votes on fleet | Chaos as Ukraine votes on fleet |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chaos has erupted in the Ukrainian parliament during a debate over the extension of the lease on a Russian naval base in Ukraine. | Chaos has erupted in the Ukrainian parliament during a debate over the extension of the lease on a Russian naval base in Ukraine. |
| The chamber's speaker had to be shielded by umbrellas as he was pelted with eggs, while smoke bombs exploded and politicians brawled. | The chamber's speaker had to be shielded by umbrellas as he was pelted with eggs, while smoke bombs exploded and politicians brawled. |
| But the debate continued and the chamber ratified the lease extension. | But the debate continued and the chamber ratified the lease extension. |
| Kiev has prolonged the lease on the Sevastopol base by 25 years in return for cheaper supplies of Russian gas. | Kiev has prolonged the lease on the Sevastopol base by 25 years in return for cheaper supplies of Russian gas. |
| The deal, which came amid rapidly improving ties between Russia and Ukraine following the election of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February, has been bitterly opposed by Ukrainian pro-Western opposition politicians. | |
| The clashes in parliament broke out as MPs debated ratification of the agreement, which was made by Mr Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last month. | |
| Opposition MPs hurled eggs at the speaker, Volodymyr Lytvyn, who had to be protected by two aides holding black umbrellas. | |
| Deputies were seen throwing punches on the floor of the chamber, and covering their faces with handkerchiefs to protect themselves from the smoke. | Deputies were seen throwing punches on the floor of the chamber, and covering their faces with handkerchiefs to protect themselves from the smoke. |
| 'Increasing trust' | |
| Despite the chaotic scenes, the debate continued and the deal was backed by 236 out of 450 members of the chamber. | |
| The Russian lower house of parliament approved the deal shortly afterwards, with 410 members voting in favour and none against. | The Russian lower house of parliament approved the deal shortly afterwards, with 410 members voting in favour and none against. |
| On Monday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Kiev, where he announced offers for wide ranging co-operation on aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding and the generation of nuclear power. | |
| "We are talking about creating a large holding which would bring together joint power generation, joint power station construction and the fuel cycle," he was quoted as saying. | |
| He said the controversy over the base deal was "to be honest, unexpected". | |
| The price Ukraine had asked was "beyond all reasonable limits", he said, and the gas subsidies would cost Russia $40-45bn (30-34bn euros, £26-29bn) over 10 years. | |
| But he added that the deal was "not just a question of money". | |
| "Military co-operation, without a doubt, increases trust between two countries, gives us an opportunity to do work full of trust in the economic and social and political spheres," he said. | |
| "This is in fact the main thing." | |
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