KIEV, Nov. 2 – President Viktor Yanukovych, citing reports by law enforcement agencies, said Wednesday the authorities may come under attack from armed protesters exploiting public outrage with the government’s plans to cut social benefits.

“I am told by the law enforcement agencies that arms are being purchased and preparation is underway for armed attacks on the authorities,” Yanukovych told the government at a meeting.

The comment comes a day after almost two thousand protesters broke through a fence surrounding Parliament building in order to stop debate of a bill cutting benefits.

The protesters, mostly veterans of the Chernobyl clean-up work, continued their street protests in Kiev on Wednesday, now gathering in front of the Cabinet of Ministers.

“The people have lost their fear and their decency,” Yanukovych said addressing the Cabinet meeting. “Who has been organizing them? Not those who live through hardships. Those who live through hardships are quiet and patient.”

The comment may be explaining what has been reported as Yanukovych’s fear of potential attack against him, resulting in usually hundreds or even thousands of police forces deployed at opposition rallies.

The developments come at a time when the government has been pressing for cutting social benefits to a number of groups of people, including Chernobyl clean-up workers and veterans of Soviets’ Afghan war.

A controversial bill, known as No. 9127, calls for scrapping separate legislation outlining social benefits to more than 10 million people, and instead allowing the government to decide on the size of benefits and the groups receiving them.

The bill, submitted by the government, was quietly approved in the first reading on September 9, and was supposed to be approved in the final reading later this week.

The bill has already caused tensions and nearly attack on Parliament from Afghan war veterans on September 20, underscoring a potential for massive protest action against the government.

The government has been seeking the right to decide on the benefits because it alleges that many of current recipients may be receiving the benefits illegally.

Yanukovych on Wednesday said that the government is committed to cut the spending after spending at least 6 billion hryvnias on what has been described as extra payouts over the past 12 months.

Potentially painting a grim picture, the Internal Affairs Ministry, which employs a police force of 200,000, said Wednesday that about 40,000 protesters may hit the streets on Thursday.

Police has been deploying more forces on the Kiev streets with buses and vans with police reported to be parked across the city.

Yuriy Karmazyn, an opposition lawmaker from Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense group, said police also deployed a number of prison vans, parking the vehicles outside the Cabinet of Ministers building, apparently for intimidation.

“What are you doing?!” Karmazyn said in Parliament addressing pro-government lawmakers. “Never has yet the government intimidate the people with prison vans parked right near Parliament and government buildings.” (tl/ez)