27 November After failing to reach an agreement with Yanukovych, Yushchenko announced that he would only agree to further negotiations if they would be on the subject of holding another vote. (Irish Times) On the same day the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, declared the poll results invalid, and also passed a vote of no confidence in Ukraine's Central Election Commission. The declaration was, however, not binding and did not overturn the need for the Supreme Court to issue a ruling. (BBC) 28 November The issue of separatism was raised when governors of eastern and southern regions met with Yanukovych and Moscow Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov in Syeverodonetsk, Luhansk region, to discuss autonomy or a separate republic for the Russian-speaking parts of Ukraine. Borys Kolesnikov, president of the Donetsk region council, suggested turning Ukraine into a federation and creating a new South-East Ukrainian Autonomous Republic with its capital in Kharkiv. Yushchenko criticized these ideas as anti-constitutional, and observers suggested that Yanukovych's apparent support for separatism had damaged the standing of the government side. Over 10,000 IM (Internal Ministry) troops mobilized to put down the protests in Independence Square in Kyiv according to their commander Lt. Gen. Sergei Popkov. The SBU (Ukrainian Security Service, successor to KGB) warned opposition leaders of the crackdown. Oleksandev Galaka, head of GRU (military intelligence) made calls to "prevent bloodshed". Col. Gen. Ihor P. Smesko (SBU chief) and Maj. Gen. Vitaly Romanchenko (military counter-intelligence chief) both warned Popkov to pull back his troops, which he did. 29 November and 30 November Talks were held between the government and opposition but ended inconclusively, with Yushchenko reportedly refusing an offer from Yanukovych of the post of prime minister if the opposition accepted Yanukovych as president. Yanukovych's alternative suggestion was a fresh election with neither himself nor Yushchenko as candidates; this was also rejected. The outgoing president Leonid Kuchma announced that he would support holding an entirely new presidential election, not just a re-run of the disputed second round. On November 29, Yanukovych's campaign manager, Serhiy Tyhypko, announced his resignation from both his position in the Yanukovych campaign and his position as the head of the National Bank of Ukraine. Asked by Channel 5 TV on whether he would possibly run for president if repeat elections went forward, Tyhypko replied positively. Yanukovych reacted angrily to Tyhypko's move, calling him a "mischievous cat". At the same time, the opposition seemed to