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Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to return to work | Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to return to work |
(35 minutes later) | |
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is to return to work on Monday after four days of illness, with protesters still demanding he give up power. | Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is to return to work on Monday after four days of illness, with protesters still demanding he give up power. |
Protests have continued since November, when he backed away from closer EU ties and agreed a loan with Russia. | |
The EU and US are now considering a big loan to help debt-laden Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reports. | |
The aid package would be conditional on Kiev embracing "real reform and a real transition", a US official said. | The aid package would be conditional on Kiev embracing "real reform and a real transition", a US official said. |
US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton discussed the possible lifeline for Ukraine at a security conference in Munich at the weekend. | US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton discussed the possible lifeline for Ukraine at a security conference in Munich at the weekend. |
Russia, engaged in diplomatic rivalry with the EU over Ukraine, last week said it was delaying the next instalment of a $15bn (£9bn) aid package. | Russia, engaged in diplomatic rivalry with the EU over Ukraine, last week said it was delaying the next instalment of a $15bn (£9bn) aid package. |
Meanwhile, the severely injured Ukrainian opposition leader Dmytro Bulatov has arrived in Lithuania for medical treatment. | Meanwhile, the severely injured Ukrainian opposition leader Dmytro Bulatov has arrived in Lithuania for medical treatment. |
Mr Bulatov appeared on TV last week saying he had been abducted and tortured. | Mr Bulatov appeared on TV last week saying he had been abducted and tortured. |
Mr Yanukovych has not been seen in public since last Wednesday. His office says he had been suffering from a fever and breathing problems but that he was feeling well again and will go back to work. | Mr Yanukovych has not been seen in public since last Wednesday. His office says he had been suffering from a fever and breathing problems but that he was feeling well again and will go back to work. |
Opposition leaders had previously expressed scepticism about his illness - on Sunday they again called on him to stand down while speaking to crowds of protesters in Kiev's Maidan square, the BBC's Duncan Crawford reports from the capital. | Opposition leaders had previously expressed scepticism about his illness - on Sunday they again called on him to stand down while speaking to crowds of protesters in Kiev's Maidan square, the BBC's Duncan Crawford reports from the capital. |
Thousands are currently in the square, which has become a focal point for the opposition. | Thousands are currently in the square, which has become a focal point for the opposition. |
Mr Yanukovych has offered a number of concessions and his cabinet quit their jobs. | Mr Yanukovych has offered a number of concessions and his cabinet quit their jobs. |
But the demonstrators, many of whom want to see closer ties with the EU rather than Russia, have not been placated. | But the demonstrators, many of whom want to see closer ties with the EU rather than Russia, have not been placated. |
Rallying point | Rallying point |
Mr Bulatov arrived in Vilnius in the early hours of Monday morning and was immediately taken to hospital, the Baltic News Service reports. | Mr Bulatov arrived in Vilnius in the early hours of Monday morning and was immediately taken to hospital, the Baltic News Service reports. |
Lithuania has promised to treat any protesters injured in the crisis. | Lithuania has promised to treat any protesters injured in the crisis. |
He went missing on 22 January and re-emerged eight days later on the outskirts of Kiev. | He went missing on 22 January and re-emerged eight days later on the outskirts of Kiev. |
He appeared on TV with a gash on his face and part of his ear cut off. He said he had been held and beaten for eight days. | He appeared on TV with a gash on his face and part of his ear cut off. He said he had been held and beaten for eight days. |
His case became a new rallying point for anti-government protesters. | His case became a new rallying point for anti-government protesters. |
Mr Bulatov was a leader of a group called AutoMaidan, made up mainly of drivers who would protect the protest camps and blockade streets. | Mr Bulatov was a leader of a group called AutoMaidan, made up mainly of drivers who would protect the protest camps and blockade streets. |
He told the media he had been "crucified" by his abductors, whom he could not identify other than to say they had Russian accents. | He told the media he had been "crucified" by his abductors, whom he could not identify other than to say they had Russian accents. |
Opposition politicians and Western diplomats expressed outrage at the incident. | Opposition politicians and Western diplomats expressed outrage at the incident. |
The EU's Baroness Ashton condemned the "deliberate targeting of organisers and participants of peaceful protests". | The EU's Baroness Ashton condemned the "deliberate targeting of organisers and participants of peaceful protests". |
Officials had suggested Mr Bulatov's account of the abduction might have been fabricated. | Officials had suggested Mr Bulatov's account of the abduction might have been fabricated. |
"The only thing he has is a scratch on one of his cheeks," Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara told broadcaster al-Jazeera. | "The only thing he has is a scratch on one of his cheeks," Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara told broadcaster al-Jazeera. |
"It looks like the alleged story that he was kidnapped and tortured is not absolutely true." | "It looks like the alleged story that he was kidnapped and tortured is not absolutely true." |
The ministry later said the comments did not reflect his "real attitude to the tragic situation", and said the minister wished Mr Bulatov a speedy recovery. | The ministry later said the comments did not reflect his "real attitude to the tragic situation", and said the minister wished Mr Bulatov a speedy recovery. |