Several lawmakers walked out of the Ukrainian parliament as a smoke bomb was thrown, but hearings on ratifying a controversial naval base deal with Russia continued, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian opposition, which called the deal an "act of treason," earlier threatened to disrupt the vote.
The hearings started with a brawl, and eggs were thrown at the parliamentary speaker, who is continuing the session.
A total of 211 lawmakers registered for the session, less than the simple majority in the 450-seat parliament, required to ratify the deal.
Vadym Kolesnichenko, a lawmaker for the pro-presidential Party of Regions, is currently delivering his speech to the parliament. The lawmaker read a ruling of the Sevastopol city council to support the ratification of the deal.
Opposition members are shouting in an attempt to disrupt the speech. The speaking rostrum is guarded by lawmakers of the Party of Regions.
Clashes between police and protestors have begun outside the Supreme Rada in Kiev, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported.
Ex-president Viktor Yushchenko and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko are present at the session.
The deal, signed by the Russian and Ukrainian presidents on April 21, extends the lease on a Russian base in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017, and may be further extended by another five years. In return, Ukraine will receive a 30% discount on Russian natural gas.
KIEV, April 27 (RIA Novosti)
