KIEV, Jan. 24 – Prime Minister Mykola Azarov last week submitted his resignation, but President Viktor Yanukovych refused to accept it, a news agency reported Tuesday, citing a source.

Azarov, asked by journalists on Tuesday to comment on the report, refused to do so.

His spokesman, Vitaliy Lukyanchenko, later denied the report.

The developments come six days after Yanukovych has dismissed Finance Minister Fedir Yaroshenko, the strongest ally of Azarov in the government, by replacing him with Valeriy Khoroshkovskiy.