Ukraine Heating Up

Ukraine's prime minister accused President Viktor Yushchenko of preparing to use force in their struggle for supremacy after Yushchenko said on Friday he was taking control of interior ministry troops.

Yushchenko issued his decree hours after riot police loyal to the prime minister took over a building housing the prosecutor general's office in Kiev following scuffles.

The decree concerns troops largely responsible for maintaining public order and not the army, which is controlled by one of pro-western Yushchenko's few allies in the cabinet. He ordered the interior ministry troops to protect key sites.

Yanukovich denounced the president's move as dangerous and unconstitutional. It presaged, he said, an attempt to use force to resolve Ukraine's long-running political crisis.