KIEV, Dec. 20 ??“ Ukraine??™s security service SBU uncovered a private detective agency that had been apparently spying on judges of the Constitutional Court and political figures, a top security service official said Wednesday.

KIEV, Dec. 20 ??“ A dozen of pro-government lawmakers used force to prevent Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk, an ally of President Viktor Yushchenko, from joining a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday as political crisis in Ukraine deepened.

KIEV, Dec. 20 ??“ In an apparent tit-for-tat response to Russia??™s demand for higher gas payments, President Yushchenko said Ukraine will seek to amend its 20-year agreement with Russia by seeking higher rent payments

KIEV, Dec. 20 - The trade union at Ukraine's largest steel mill Kryvorizhstal is demanding that new company owner Mittal Steel increase wages in accordance with the obligations it has shouldered.

KIEV, Dec. 20 - Parliament by a tight margin on Tuesday approved the 2006 budget leaving the government's budget deficit target unchanged and averting a potential threat of financial instability next year.

KIEV, Dec. 20 - President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday referred to Russia's mounting pressure to immediately quadruple natural gas prices it supplies to Ukraine as "blackmail" and suggested Kiev's position was strong enough to win the dispute.

KIEV, Dec. 20 - Raiffeisenbank Ukraine and Aval bank's (both based in Kiev) merger has considerably raised the market value of the whole Ukrainian banking system, bank's CEO Volodymyr Lavrenchuk said.

KIEV, Dec. 20 ??“President Viktor Yushchenko met with Deutsche Bank AG global markets division Managing Director of the Peter Tils to discuss cooperation in the banking sector.

KIEV, Dec. 20??“ The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will lend ?25.755 mln to the national energy company UkrEnergo for the construction of a new 330 kV overhead transmission line interconnection between Usatove and Ajalyk substations located in Odessa region.

KIEV, Dec. 18 ??“ President Leonid Kuchma Saturday signed a law allowing two companies as opposed to one to print ballots, easing fears that ballot shortages could lead to disruption of the Dec. 26 election.