KIEV, June 1 – President Viktor Yanukovych dismissed a deputy prime minister, deputy minister and the head of Sevastopol administration on Wednesday, sending the most serious warning yet to Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to begin unpopular reforms.

The developments open a political cycle that will most likely lead to a major reshuffle of the government, which has been unable for seven months to win resumption of lending from the International Monetary Fund.

Viktor Tykhonov, the deputy prime minister in charge of regional issues and housing sector, was dismissed after facing harsh criticism at a Cabinet of Ministers’ meeting, according to the Yanukovych administration.

Yuriy Khivrych, a deputy minister of regional development, and Valeriy Satarov, the head of the Sevastpol administration, were also dismissed, according to the administration.

The moves underscore the rising sense of irritation at the Yanukovych administration with postponement of key reforms that had already led to delays with foreign borrowing and investments.

The developments come days after Yanukovych’s repeated criticism of Azarov, and his government, and appear to be the most serious warning yet for the government to begin the reforms.

Yanukovych last week gave Azarov time until the end of July to increase utilities tariffs and natural gas prices for households, an also to launch pension reform, a sensitive issue that is extremely unpopular with the people.

“Today every person in Ukraine wants to send his negative assessment, his torpedo, towards the government,” Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of opposition, said on Wednesday. “Yanukovych is re-directing his torpedo towards Azarov.”

She said Yanukovych has been seeking to put responsibility on Azarov for “all social and economic failures,” and will seek to replace the prime minister in the “nearest future.”

Yanukovych has been increasingly critical of the housing and utilities sector, urging Azarov to improve the way that utilities tariffs are calculated across the country.

The government has failed to hike by 50% natural gas prices for households on April 1 as had been earlier demanded by the IMF.

“The dismissals of Tykhonov and Khivrych were inevitable and obvious,” Azarov said in reaction to the latest firings. “We need different approaches, new energy and experience.”

Yanukovych urged the government to create a special body that would calculate housing and utilities tariffs across Ukraine by using same formulas and approaches, reducing tariff gaps between regions.

“There must not be such discrepancy between the regions in terms of housing and utilities,” Yanukovych said. “The special body must be created to regulate this issue.”

The reshuffle comes as Yanukovych has been quickly losing popular support across Ukraine over the past 12 months.

At least 60.7% of respondents said in May they disapprove the president’s policies, up from 27.8% in May 2010, according Ukrayinske Demokratychne Kolo, a polling firm.

Some 30% respondents said they approve Yanukovych’s policies, down from 61.3% in May 2010, according to the firm.

In what may be a little comfort for Yanukovych, Azarov’s figures appear to be even worse.

At least 71.6% of respondents said in May they disapprove Azarov’s policies, up from 29.8% in May 2010, the firm reported. Some 18.9% of respondents said they approve Azarov’s policies, down from 53.9% in May 2010.

Ukrayinske Demokratychne Kolo, which is thought to be affiliated with opposition lawmaker Mykola Tomenko, polled 1,200 people between May 20 and May 25, with margin of error reported at 2.9%. (tl/ez)