Divided Ukraine poised 'on the brink of catastrophe'

Ukraine was perilously close to splitting into two countries last night after regional leaders in the Russophile east of the country said they would rather form a new state than be governed by the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko, leader of the so-called "Orange Revolution".

Ukraine was perilously close to splitting into two countries last night after regional leaders in the Russophile east of the country said they would rather form a new state than be governed by the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko, leader of the so-called "Orange Revolution".

The development came as Yulia Tymoshenko, a key aide to Mr Yushchenko, gave Leonid Kuchma, Ukraine's outgoing president, 24 hours to fire Viktor Yanukovych, Mr Yushchenko's presidential rival, from his post as prime minister. She also demanded a coalition government be formed immediately. "If in 24 hours, he does not fulfil all the demands we will start blocking all Kuchma's movements on Ukrainian territory. We know exactly where he is. And we are able to organise matters so that he will not be able to take a single step," she declared.

Mr Kuchma said negotiations aimed at taking the country out of its crisis were going badly and the pro-Russian Mr Yanukovych warned Ukraine was facing catastrophe. "As Prime Minister, I say that today we are on the brink of catastrophe. There is one step to the edge," he told an emergency congress of regional leaders.

"Do not take any radical steps," Mr Yanukovych told the regional leaders. "I repeat - none. When the first drop of blood is spilt, we will not be able to stop it. It will remain on the consciences of the people who provoked the situation."

The congress, in the eastern city of SeveroDonetsk, voted unanimously to hold a referendum in December on the status of the south-east of the country, which favours Mr Yanukovych over Mr Yushchenko, the man who claims he was cheated out of the presidency.

That raises the spectre of Ukraine going down a path trodden by Czechoslovakia with the Russophile east breaking away from the west of the country which is keener on closer ties with the EU and Nato rather than Moscow.

Many of the delegates and the protesters outside the congress centre talked of becoming part of Russia or of Crimea, an autonomous Russian-speaking part of Ukraine.

Mr Yushchenko, who delivered an impassioned speech to more than 100,000 of his supporters spending their seventh day braving the freezing weather in Kiev's Independence Square, was furious. He said politicians pushing for independence were criminals and should be prosecuted.

President Kuchma, the man who picked Mr Yanukovych as his successor, accused Mr Yushchenko of lacking goodwill and not fulfilling a promise to stop supporters blockading government buildings in the capital.

Ukrainian television broadcast sinister images of Spetznaz elite troops milling about in Kiev. Mr Yushchenko told his supporters he would break off negotiations in the event of force being used.

"God help us if the Ukrainian authorities in their death throes resort to force in their last days. They will meet unimaginable strength."