UKRAINE'S PM HIT BY ROCK
Viktor Yanukovych was in hospital in stable condition after the incident Friday in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, some 599 kilometers (371 miles) west of the capital Kiev, spokeswoman Hanna Herman told the Interfax news agency.
Yanukovych, a top contender for the country's presidential election next month, was on a campaign trip to the city at the time.
Aides to Yanukovych blamed the incident on "radical elements" of the opposition led by his main challenger in next month's presidential election, Viktor Yushchenko.
Mykola Tomenko, a key official of Yushchenko's Our Ukraine party, denied his party had any involvement.
Police arrested one person involved in the incident, Herman said, but gave no further details. Police officials in Ivano-Frankivsk were not immediately available for comment.
The incident was likely to add further fuel to an already heated campaign ahead of the October 31 vote -- an election that is considered crucial for Ukraine's future.
Earlier this month, Yushchenko fell ill and his campaign charged that he was poisoned by political opponents. Ukrainian prosecutors and the country's parliament have opened investigations into the incident.
Other news in this section
