Ukraine president calls snap election

Ukraine's president has set a 7 December date for snap elections after dissolving parliament.

Viktor Yushchenko ordered parliament to be dissolved yesterday and called the early vote after the pro-Western coalition with his estranged Orange Revolution partner Yulia Tymoshenko collapsed and no new alliance was forged.

He set the date for new elections in a decree today.

The vote will be the third parliamentary election in this politically volatile ex-Soviet country in as many years.

It is likely to throw the country into further turmoil, as Tymoshenko said she would contest the decision.

Yushchenko pulled out of the coalition last month after Tymoshenko moved to trim his powers over ties with Russia.