Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Direct military conflict with Russia is unlikely, but battles between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and President Viktor Yuschenko will continue to divide the government and complicate attempts to deal with the country's economic crisis, a consulting firm has said.

This forecast for Ukraine's future in 2009 comes from the Top Risks of the Eurasia Group consulting firm, as introduced by its president, Ian Bremmer.

Growing unemployment, falling wages, and anger at politicians will increase the risk of social unrest in major cities, the group's experts said.

Ukraine was put eighth on the list of Top Risks, which identify the year's key geopolitical areas to watch for global investors and market participants.

Highest on the list of Top Risks is the U.S. Congress, which faces a difficult task of the financial regulation due to the crisis.

South Asia and Iran/Israel security follow the U.S. Congress. Russia is fourth, followed by Iraq, Venezuela and Mexico.

Turkey and South Africa close the list after Ukraine.

Eurasia Group, founded in 1998, is the world's leading global political risk research and consulting firm. It headquarters in New York and has offices in Washington and London.

Its advisory board includes representatives of Google, JP Morgan Securities, Japan Industrial Policy Research Institute, Sun Group, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, News Corporation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Boeing, Eni Corporation.