Ukraine's prime minister today vowed to boycott the campaign for an election called by the country's increasingly unpopular president as rival demonstrators took to the streets of the capital.
Pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko this week brought to a head months of confrontation with his prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, over Ukraine's future direction, dissolving the parliament backing Mr Yanukovich and calling a May 27th election.
Mr Yushchenko's stock has dwindled in the two years since the "Orange Revolution", when many had hoped that the impoverished former Soviet state could join the European Union and improve its meager standard of living.
Under Ukrainian law, the election campaign opened today. But Mr Yanukovich, defeated by the president in 2004 after weeks of protests, vowed he would have nothing to do with it until the Constitutional Court ruled on the presidential decree.
Hundreds of Mr Yanukovich's supporters marched to the president's offices to confront those backing Yushchenko.
Separated by a line of police, the two sides traded slogans; "Yushchenko out" competing with "We are for justice", from the president's supporters.
Mr Yanukovich told ministers: "Until the Constitutional Court examines this issue, we will engage in no preparations for any elections."
"Given that the country is in such a tense situation, we must ensure that state institutions function ... and cut short any action, or indeed any talk, of an early election."