KIEV, May 10 – Thousands of protesters from across Ukraine are flocking to Kiev for a massive rally in front of Parliament on Tuesday to show their outrage over President Viktor Yanukovych’s divisive policy decisions.

The protests are gaining momentum as opposition groups Monday have decided to join forces in putting pressure on the government for averting a number of controversial business deals that may be soon signed with Russia.

“This is a complete acquisition by Russia of energy, transportation and industrial potential of Ukraine,” Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and the leader of the largest group in Parliament, said.

“These are strategic companies that will no longer be ours. We are disappearing, dissolving in the vast Russian space. Our country is being killed as an independent state,” Tymoshenko said addressing the opposition groups.

“Come to Parliament and defend Ukraine,” Tymoshenko said. “Don’t be silent! Don’t be afraid! We will prevail!”

The opposition groups are outraged over Yanukovych’s deal with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Kharkiv on April 21 to extend the stay of Russian navy in Sevastopol for another 25 years after the lease term expires in 2017.

The deal was secretly prepared, signed and quickly ratified by a slim majority in Parliament without any debate, spreading concerns among opposition groups that the practice may continue.

It also highlights concerns over the upcoming visit by Medvedev to Ukraine on May 17 with the opposition groups now fearing the number of controversial deals may be signed hurting the country’s national interests.

“Everybody knows that the president of Russia doesn’t just come to Ukraine for nothing anymore,” Tymoshenko said. “Something will be signed.”

The opposition parties created the Committee for Defense of Ukraine, an organization that is supposed to coordinate protest actions across Ukraine to continue putting pressure on the government.

President Viktor Yushchenko’s party, Our Ukraine, joined the meeting and backed the creation of the committee.

The opposition groups plan to lead the massive rally on Tuesday after all other legal options, such as filing lawsuits and blocking legislation, have failed to stop Yanyukovych’s government.

“If we can manage to get hundreds of thousands of then the government will be reacting differently to the concerns of the Ukrainian people,” Tymoshenko said.

There were about 7,000 protesters in front of Parliament on April 27 when the pro-government majority moved to ratify the extension of the Black Sea Fleet’s lease in Sevastopol.

Meanwhile, the government has been apparently taking steps to block transportation of protesters across Ukraine with police stopping vans and buses bound to Kiev.

Former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko, whose People’s Self-defense groups also joined the meeting of opposition parties, said at least 2,000 riot police forces were relocated to Kiev from other regions over the past couple of days.

“I believe such an inadequate number of police may be suggesting that provocations are being prepared with clashes,” Lutsenko told Ukrayinska Pravda online newspaper.

Valeriy Bondyk, a lawmaker from Yanukovych’s Regions Party, said the government is prepared for “any development” on Tuesday as the protesters have been flocking to Kiev from across Ukraine.

“I will insist that law enforcement agencies to react if there will be a storming [of Parliament],” Bondyk said in an interview with Channel 5. “Let them use special means to prevent it.” (tl/ez)