KIEV, Sept. 5 – Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych views as a purely political move ahead of the Sept. 30 election a resolution by the National Security and Defense Council to dismiss Communications and Transport Minister Mykola Rudkovsky and Emergencies Minister Nestor Shufrych.

"I believe that the resolution considered yesterday [Tuesday], such as the one concerning the dismissal of ministers 20 days ahead of the elections was a purely political decision," Yanukovych said at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday.