Yushchenko appoints Yury Yekhanurov acting PM

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko appointed new acting Prime Minister Yury Yekhanurov and instructed him on how to form a new government, the president told Ukrainian television Thursday.

The Novosti-Ukraina news agency reported that Yushchenko dismissed the government of Yulia Tymoshenko earlier today and appointed Yekhanurov, Buryatiya born, former governor of Dnepropetrovsk, eastern Ukraine, acting prime minister, reports RIA Novosti.

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has sacked his government after a spate of resignations and corruption claims.

He has appointed a regional governor from the east as acting prime minister.

Earlier on Thursday two top Ukrainian officials resigned, crippling the government of Yulia Tymoshenko, who had helped secure Mr Yushchenko's victory.

Criticism of Mr Yushchenko's team has intensified amid impatience over the pace of the Orange Revolution reforms. He came to power in January 2005.

According to Reuters, Peter Poroshenko, resigned Secretary of Ukraine's National Security, whom analysts say is highly valued by Yushchenko as a counter-balance to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said he did not want to obstruct a probe into corruption allegations in which he had been named.

"I made a decision and yesterday submitted to the president a request to resign," Poroshenko said in a statement.

Nikolai Tomenko, deputy prime minister for humanitarian issues, criticized the Yushchenko administration as he resigned.

"I do not want to share responsibility with those who have created a system of corruption," he said.

"I have not stolen and I have not been involved in the corruption that the closest advisers and aides of the president are involved in," he said.