Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said today the ruling coalition and the government will not prepare for early elections until the Constitutional Court rules on the issue, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported.

By the thousands, Ukrainians are gathered in Kyiv outside the Verkhovna Rada in a scene reminiscent of the Orange Revolution of 2004. Only now they're supporting Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, not his political rival, President Viktor Yushchenko.

Ukraine's political crisis has intensified following President Viktor Yushchenko's order to dissolve parliament and hold new elections. The parliament, dominated by lawmakers loyal to Yushchenko's rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, has moved to defy the dissolution decree by passing a measure that blocks the government from funding the early parliamentary polls set for May 27.