KIEV, July 13 (RIA Novosti) - A gunshot was heard outside Ukraine's parliament building during the night as supporters of two political movements clashed, a Ukrainian television channel said Thursday.
On Tuesday Ukrainian Parliamentary Speaker Oleksandr Moroz said Ukraine had formed a new parliamentary coalition comprising the pro-Russian Party of Regions, the Communist Party and the Socialist Party, which led to ugly scenes as members of the 450-seat legislature started several fist fights, traded insults, and attempted to drown each other out with sirens and megaphones.
Thousands of people gathered in front of Ukraine's parliament, the Supreme Rada, earlier in the day to protest against the current political turmoil and support their political parties.
About 3,000 supporters of the pro-Russian Party of Regions led by Viktor Yanukovych set up pickets after arriving from various cities on Tuesday evening. They are demanding that the Supreme Rada begin working properly, and stability be brought to the country's political and economic life.
On Wednesday, hundreds of supporters of Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of her eponymous bloc and former prime minister, also came to parliament. They set up tents opposite the building in central Kiev, and are demanding the dissolution of parliament.
Ukraine's Channel Five said two deputies from the Regions Party and the Tymoshenko bloc had clashed over the location of the tents set up by the activists of both political forces. During the clash, a supporter of the Tymoshenko bloc fired a rubber bullet but no one was hurt, the channel said.
Police arrived on the scene and said they were considering opening a criminal case into the incident, Channel Five said.
The leaders of Tymoshenko's bloc said they intended to set up dozens of extra tents for their supporters.
But Kiev Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky warned the city authorities would discuss Thursday the legitimacy of tent camps set up in the wake of the latest developments in the Rada.
