Toppled Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich’s former chief of staff was on Tuesday reported to have been taken to hospital with a gunshot wound as the country’s new leadership battled to bring stability to the 46m-strong state.
News of the injury to Andriy Klyuyev, one of the former president’s right-hand men, raised concerns about more possible political bloodletting after Mr Yanukovich’s ousting on Saturday, as the country’s acting president warned against regional separatism.
It came as Oleksandr Turchynov, the acting president, delayed forming a national unity government until Thursday as officials sought to win support from protest leaders for an administration whose first task would be to secure emergency financing to prevent economic collapse.
Ukraine’s central bank on Tuesday eased liquidity rules on the country’s banking system in an effort to counter a potential run on lenders as the political turmoil sparked a surge in demand for cash.
Lady Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, on Tuesday promised strong support for the country’s new rulers and, in a swipe at Russia, warned that it was crucial to maintain Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Moscow on Tuesday sent mixed messages about Kiev. Sergei Lavrov, foreign minister, toned down some of Russia’s aggressive rhetoric about western involvement in Ukraine. He said Moscow would not intervene in its neighbour’s affairs, but warned other states not to seek “unilateral advantages”.
“It is dangerous and counter-productive to try to force on Ukraine a choice according to the principle of either being with us or against us,” Mr Lavrov said.
“It is in our interest for Ukraine to be part of the broad European family,” he added, but suggested Russia would not “allow the radicals and nationalists who are clearly trying to take centre stage to prevail”.
But Russia’s chief vet had earlier warned that the Russian-led customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan might restrict imports of Ukrainian agricultural and food products, as he expressed doubts about whether Ukraine could enforce veterinary standards during the crisis.
His comments raised the spectre of an attempt to press Kiev to halt closer integration with Europe.
The EU’s Lady Ashton, speaking on the second day of a visit to Kiev, said she hoped a government would be formed quickly to formulate a plan to tackle the deteriorating economy.
“We are here to say we want to support and help the country to stay strong and to go forward in the way it chooses to,” she said. “We also think it is very important to send a strong message about the territorial integrity, and the unity and the independence of Ukraine.”
The EU will work with the International Monetary Fund and other international agencies to devise an assistance plan, Lady Ashton said, but stressed the IMF had its own rules.
William Hague, UK foreign secretary, was due to meet his US counterpart, John Kerry, and IMF officials in Washington later on Tuesday to discuss Ukraine, which has called for a donor conference and loans from Poland and the US.
However, the whereabouts of Mr Yanukovich were still unclear after the former president went into hiding on Saturday. Ukraine’s parliament on Tuesday voted for him to be sent to the International Criminal Court to be tried for “serious crimes” when he is caught.
Two of Mr Yanukovich’s allies – Vitaly Zakharchenko, former interior minister, and Viktor Pshonka, former prosecutor-general, who are also being sought by the authorities – should also be sent for trial at the ICC, which is based in The Hague, a parliamentary resolution said.
Ukraine is not a signatory to the ICC convention.
The non-fatal gunshot injury to a third Yanukovich ally, Mr Klyuyev, occurred after he met Mr Yanukovich in Crimea on Sunday to resign, according to people close to the multimillionaire businessman-politician. But the circumstances of the shooting remained unclear.
Additional reporting by John Aglionby in London
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