Ukraine moved a step closer to fragmentation last night as an eastern region set a December referendum on forming a breakaway state, writes Chris Stephen in Kiev
The decision, at a rally near the Russian border, came as hundreds of thousands of pro- and anti-government protesters continued to hold rival rallies across the country, and sometimes in the same cities.
In a separate secessionist move, another part of the economically powerful region backing Prime Minister Mr Viktor Yanukovich said it would vote next Sunday to form a republic within a federal Ukrainian state.
In Warsaw, Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, a pivotal regional figure, said a break-up was a real threat. He said the liberal opposition leader, Mr Viktor Yushchenko, was likely to become the next president.
The opposition deputy, Ms Yuliya Tymoshenko, demanded that President Leonid Kuchma sack Mr Yanukovich within 24 hours and that parliament meet today to form a coalition government.
Ms Tymoshenko also told supporters in Kiev's main square to gather by the Supreme Court today as it hears Mr Yushchenko's case calling for the election result to be overturned. "You must come to the court not to put pressure on it but to defend it from pressure from the authorities," she said.
Mr Yanukovich attended the rally in Severodonetsk, in eastern Ukraine, but did not endorse the decision by delegates from Russian-speaking parts of the east and south for a December referendum "to determine the region's status". Asked whether he supported the idea, he replied: "No." But he said protests by pro-Yushchenko demonstrators paralysing the capital had pushed Ukraine to the edge of disaster.
Addressing a meeting of 3,500 governors and officials earlier in Severodonetsk, Mr Yanukovich said civil war was now very close.
"When the first drop of blood is spilled, we will not be able to stop it," he told a packed hall of supporters. "There is one step left until we reach the edge."
Mr Yushchenko hit back hours later, threatening to jail the rebel governors.
"Those who are calling for separatism are committing crimes and will definitely receive severe punishment," he promised a crowd of 250,000 protesters packed into Kiev's Independence Square. "God help us if the Ukrainian authorities in their death throes resort to force in their last days. They will meet with unimaginable strength."
This comment was taken to indicate support for the volunteer guard he has said needs to be formed to give the opposition a paramilitary force with which to oppose the security forces deployed by the government.
President Kuchma went on live television to tell the nation that talks aimed at finding a compromise were not working. "As I understand, the talks are going on with considerable difficulty, no one can say what sort of compromise can be found."
Re-run elections now seem inevitable, with Russia dropping its opposition to them and Mr Kuchma giving a guarded approval.
Mr Yushchenko demanded that the new election be held on December 12th. Logistically, this should prove feasible, as there are only two candidates, but finding a way of incorporating international supervision to prevent fraud in such a short time is likely to prove a major headache for the international community.
Yet the European Union, which has taken the lead in providing mediation between the two sides, will not want to turn down a request to supply some degree of supervision if Ukraine's parliament asks for it.
Tensions were increased on Saturday when parliament voted not to accept the results of last Sunday's election, which international monitors have criticised as rigged in the government's favour.
MPs also voted to declare no confidence in the current election authorities.