Violence broke out in Ukrainian Parliament over a bill that would allow the use of the Russian language in courts, hospitals and other institutions in the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine. Members of the pro-Western opposition, who want to take Ukraine out of Russia's shadow, traded blows with lawmakers from President Viktor Yanukovych's party, which bases its support in the Russian-speaking east. Opposition legislator, Mykola Petruk, was taken to hospital after he suffered an apparent blow to the head. Politicians have frequently scuffled in the Ukrainian parliament. A fierce fight in December 2010, which sent at least six lawmakers to the hospital, started when members of Yanukovych's party threw chairs and punched opponents who had been blocking legislative work all day. During a fight in April 2010, the parliament speaker hid behind an umbrella as opposition lawmakers threw eggs and smoke bombs to protest a naval pact with Russia. Ukraine is deeply divided into the Russian-speaking east and south, which favors close ties with Moscow, and the Ukrainian-speaking west, which wants Ukraine to strengthen links with the West. The opposition demanded an investigation into yesterday's scuffle.