Ukraine's PM tries to recover after defeat in TV debate
Ukraine's pro-Russia presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovich scrambled to recover yesterday from blows dealt by his Western-leaning presidential rival in a televised debate just days before an election rematch.
Yanukovich, a prime minister of two years who has gone on leave during the campaign, denied he was trying to inflame divisive tendencies among his supporters ahead of his December 26 rematch with opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.
"I will not tolerate attempts to divide Ukraine, to separate my people from their territory, their language or their religion," he told diplomats early Tuesday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "The unity of our country, its independence and sovereignty is for me a supreme value that I will defend in no matter which posts and no matter what conditions," he said.
Yanukovich spoke a day after Yushchenko convincingly won their sole debate, showering Yanukovich with bruising blows ahead of the weekend election.
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