From the Associated Press:

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s pro-Western Orange coalition dissolved Tuesday as her former allies turned against her, setting her up to be ousted in a no-confidence vote.

The development spells the final repudiation of the Orange Revolution Tymoshenko helped lead in 2004, and paves the way for Ukraine’s new Kremlin-friendly president to consolidate his power.

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In a sign that she will be removed, speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn told parliament Tuesday the Orange coalition had been unable to prove it still had majority support in the 450-seat chamber.

“This coalition did not come up with enough votes … I therefore announce the termination of this coalition’s activity,” Lytvyn said.

Russia’s new ambassador arrived in Kiev to congratulate Yanukovych on now appears to be total victory.

Ukraine’s political parties must now form a new majority coalition, and are most likely to group around Yanukovych’s Party of Regions. Yanukovych says that if no majority can be reached he will disband parliament and call elections.

Tymoshenko lashed out at Lytvyn, who is also a leader of the Orange forces in parliament, for “illegally ruining the democratic coalition” and paving the way for Yanukovych’s “anti-Ukrainian dictatorship.”

“This was the last barricade worth defending if we wanted to protect our independence, sovereignty, strength and the European development of our country,” Tymoshenko said in a televised speech.

“History will hold him responsible,” she said.

Tymoshenko laid out no plan of action. She said only that she would seek to unite Ukraine’s “truly democratic and patriotic forces.”

Parliament is set to hold a confidence vote Wednesday on Tymoshenko’s government.

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From the Associated Press:

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Saturday dropped her legal challenge to her rival’s presidential election victory, saying she had lost faith in the country’s courts.

Her dramatic backdown after a pledge just the day before to fight till the end was the latest twist in Tymoshenko’s tortuous struggle to hold on to power and sent rivals and observers guessing what her next move will be.

“It has become obvious that it is not a court and it is not justice,” said the flamboyant premier, wearing a grey dress, her trademark golden braid wrapped around her head.

“We are withdrawing our suit,” Tymoshenko told the court as it reconvened to hear her case.

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The premier had called for the court proceedings to be televised, a request the authorities denied.

On Friday she wore a funereal black dress in the court as she appealed for justice in an emotional hour-long speech.

Judges withdrew Saturday to deliberate following her suit withdrawal, but after some two hours waiting for a decision Tymoshenko left the courtroom.

Andriy Kozhemyakin, a top official with Tymoshenko’s party, said the party would soon convene to decide on her next move but said she was unlikely to turn to the courts again.

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In parliament, Yanukovych’s party has launched an official motion to throw out Tymoshenko and her government.

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