Russia warns Ukraine opposition as protests continue

Protests continued as President Viktor Yanukovych went back to work on Monday

Russia has urged Ukrainian opposition leaders to end their campaign of "ultimatums and threats" and to step up negotiations with the government.

Russia's foreign ministry said Moscow was concerned by activists' attempts to "inflame" the situation.

Protesters in Kiev have repeated their calls for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych, who is now back at work after four days of illness.

The EU and US are considering a big loan to help debt-laden Ukraine.

"We are looking at how we could support the Ukraine in the times of the crisis when it comes to the economic and political situation," a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday.

Both EU and US officials say the aid package would be conditional on Kiev embracing "real reform".

No further details of the plan have been revealed.

'Deep crisis'

Protests have continued since November, when President Yanukovych backed away from closer EU ties and agreed a loan with Russia.

Thousands of people joined a new rally in the centre of the capital, Kiev, on Sunday, with opposition leaders calling for international help.

The Russian foreign ministry denounced their actions in a statement on Monday, saying they were particularly "puzzling" in the wake of asummit held in Munich last week on Ukraine's future.

"We expect the opposition in Ukraine to avoid threats and ultimatums and step up dialogue with the authorities in order to finding a constitutional way out of the country's deep crisis," the foreign ministry said.

Protesters want to see closer ties with the EU rather than Russia

Activists gathered in freezing conditions in Kiev's Maidan square on the eve of the president's return to work

Russia has announced it is delaying the next instalment of a $15bn (£9bn) aid package to the Ukraine.

The next tranche is dependent on the formation of a new Ukrainian government, it says.

Concessions

President Yanukovych's first task on returning to work is to name a new prime minister to replace Mykola Azarov who resigned last week.

On Tuesday, the Ukrainian parliament will debate calls for a broader amnesty for people detained during the protests and for a return to a previous constitution, which will restrict the powers of the presidency.

Mr Yanukovych had been on sick leave since last Wednesday. His office said he had been suffering from a fever and breathing problems.

Opposition leaders had previously expressed scepticism about his illness - on Sunday they again called on him to stand down while speaking to crowds of protesters in Kiev's Maidan square, which has become a focal point for the opposition.

Mr Yanukovych has offered a number of concessions and his cabinet quit their jobs.

But the demonstrators, many of whom want to see closer ties with the EU rather than Russia, have not been placated.

Meanwhile, the severely injured Ukrainian opposition leader Dmytro Bulatov has arrived in Lithuania for medical treatment.

Mr Bulatov appeared on TV last week saying he had been abducted and tortured.