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Self-Defence activists pass by the Dnipro Hotel in Kiev, Ukraine. A tense standoff between Ukrainian police and a radical nationalist group Right Sector ended on Tuesday, when its members surrendered their weapons. Photo: AP

Kiev, Ukraine: Ukraines Parliament on Tuesday ordered law enforcement agencies to immediately disarm unofficial paramilitary groups, signaling growing resolve in the interim government to confront nationalists and other vigilantes who played a big role in the overthrow of Viktor Yanukovych, the countrys pro-Kremlin former president who was deposed more than a month ago.

The bill, introduced and passed unanimously, ordered both the Interior Ministry and the Security Service of Ukraine, the countrys successor to the KGB, to disarm the groups because of the aggravation of the crime situation and systematic provocations on the part of foreigners in southeastern Ukraine and in Kiev.

Clamping down on extremists ... Armed special team police officers stand in front of the Dnipro hotel in the centre of Kiev to block the headquarters of the Right Sector, the Ukrainian radical nationalist movement. Photo: AFP

The attempt to further consolidate control domestically came as Russia delivered yet another blow to the fledgling Ukraine government, which the Kremlin regards as illegal.

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Gazprom, the Russian state gas giant, announced a 40 per cent increase in the price of natural gas sold to Ukraine, which is heavily dependent on Russia for its gas supply.

The passage of the anti-paramilitary bill comes as tensions in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, have grown between nationalist groups who continue to patrol the main squares of the city and Arsen Avakov, the countrys new interior minister.

A member of Right Sector, arguably the largest and best-organised ultranationalist group in Kiev, was accused of opening fire with a pistol on the citys main square on Monday evening during a dispute with members of other self-defence groups.

After the incident, police officers armed with automatic rifles surrounded the groups headquarters at a downtown hotel and began negotiations.

Originally posted here:
Ukraine moves to disarm paramilitary groups as Russia revokes discount on gas