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Ukraine's President Yanukovych offers PM position to opposition leader | Ukraine's President Yanukovych offers PM position to opposition leader |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych has offered the position of prime minister to an opposition leader, Arseniy Yatsenyuk. | Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych has offered the position of prime minister to an opposition leader, Arseniy Yatsenyuk. |
Mr Yatsenyuk is an ally of the jailed ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko. | |
The offer came after talks on Saturday with opposition leaders in a new effort to end the worsening unrest that has spread across the country. | |
The interior minister had earlier said efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully were "futile". | |
Protests have gripped Ukraine since the government rejected a far-reaching accord with the EU in favour of stronger ties with Russia in November. | |
The crisis escalated this week when two activists were killed, and another was found dead with torture marks in a forest near the capital. | The crisis escalated this week when two activists were killed, and another was found dead with torture marks in a forest near the capital. |
A 45-year-old protester is said to have died in a Kiev hospital on Saturday, after sustaining injuries in earlier violence. | A 45-year-old protester is said to have died in a Kiev hospital on Saturday, after sustaining injuries in earlier violence. |
Mr Yatsenyuk, parliamentary leader of the country's second biggest party, Fatherland, has not commented on the president's offer. | |
My Yanukovych has also offered the post of deputy prime minister to the former boxer, Vitali Klitschko, who is leader of the Udar (Punch) movement. | |
Ukrainian media also report that Mr Yanukovych has said he is ready to amend the constitution to reduce the president's powers. | |
The opposition has previously demanded that Mr Yanukovych step down. | |
Earlier, Ukraine's interior minister said talks with protesters had failed. | Earlier, Ukraine's interior minister said talks with protesters had failed. |
Vitaliy Zakharchenko - in charge of the police and one of the figures most despised by the protesters - blamed "radical groups" for the unrest, adding that protesters had arms. | Vitaliy Zakharchenko - in charge of the police and one of the figures most despised by the protesters - blamed "radical groups" for the unrest, adding that protesters had arms. |
"We will consider those who remain on the Maidan [the square] and in captured buildings to be extremist groups," he said | "We will consider those who remain on the Maidan [the square] and in captured buildings to be extremist groups," he said |
"The events of recent days in the Ukrainian capital showed that our attempts to peacefully resolve the conflict without resorting to forceful opposition remain futile," he added. | "The events of recent days in the Ukrainian capital showed that our attempts to peacefully resolve the conflict without resorting to forceful opposition remain futile," he added. |
Although the protest movement - the "EuroMaidan" - is largely peaceful, a hardcore of radicals have been fighting pitched battles with police away from the main protest on Independence Square. | Although the protest movement - the "EuroMaidan" - is largely peaceful, a hardcore of radicals have been fighting pitched battles with police away from the main protest on Independence Square. |
Mr Zakharchenko accused opposition of no longer able to control "radical forces" and of putting civilians in danger. | Mr Zakharchenko accused opposition of no longer able to control "radical forces" and of putting civilians in danger. |
He also said that activists had shot a police officer and kidnapped three others - allegations denied as "false and dangerous" by protest leaders. | He also said that activists had shot a police officer and kidnapped three others - allegations denied as "false and dangerous" by protest leaders. |
Later on Saturday, Mr Zakharchenko said protesters had released two officers, who were subsequently sent to hospital. Again, protesters called his words a provocation. | Later on Saturday, Mr Zakharchenko said protesters had released two officers, who were subsequently sent to hospital. Again, protesters called his words a provocation. |
On Friday protesters seized a number of government buildings in Ukrainian cities outside Kiev, particularly in the west, which has traditionally favoured closer ties with Europe, including in the cities of Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk and Lviv. | On Friday protesters seized a number of government buildings in Ukrainian cities outside Kiev, particularly in the west, which has traditionally favoured closer ties with Europe, including in the cities of Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk and Lviv. |
On Saturday the protests spread to cities further east, including Vinnytsya, just west of Kiev. | On Saturday the protests spread to cities further east, including Vinnytsya, just west of Kiev. |