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Ukrainian MPs vote to oust President Yanukovych Ukrainian MPs vote to oust President Yanukovych
(35 minutes later)
Ukrainian MPs have voted to oust President Yanukovych and hold early presidential elections on 25 May. Ukrainian MPs have voted to oust President Viktor Yanukovych and hold early presidential elections on 25 May.
Mr Yanukovych's spokeswoman said he did not accept the decision. The vote came after the opposition seized several official buildings in the capital Kiev and parliament appointed high-level officials.
Earlier on Saturday, protesters walked unchallenged into the president's office and residential compounds. Mr Yanukovych described events as a "coup" and vowed not to stand down.
Also on Saturday afternoon, prominent opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko was freed from a hospital in the eastern city of Kharkiv where she was being held under prison guard. Also on Saturday afternoon, prominent opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko was released from detention, hours after parliament authorised the move.
A BBC correspondent saw Tymoshenko driven away in a car after leaving the hospital. She is now reported to be heading to Kiev's Independence Square - also called the Maidan - which has been the focal point of anti-government protests. A BBC correspondent saw Tymoshenko driven away in a car after leaving a hospital in the eastern city of Kharkiv where she was being held under prison guard.
MPs had voted to pave the way for her release on Friday. She was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 for abuse of power. She is now reported to be heading to Kiev's Independence Square - also called the Maidan - which has been the focal point of anti-government protests.
MPs had voted to pave the way for her release on Friday. She was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2011 after being convicted of abuse of power over her actions during her tenure as prime minister.
Her supporters have always maintained this was simply Mr Yanukovych taking out his most prominent opponent, and her release has always been a key demand of the protest movement.Her supporters have always maintained this was simply Mr Yanukovych taking out his most prominent opponent, and her release has always been a key demand of the protest movement.
'Coup' denounced'Coup' denounced
The opposition is now in effective control of the capital Kiev, with Mr Yanukovych now in Kharkiv, near the Russian border. The opposition is now in effective control of the capital Kiev, with Mr Yanukovych arriving in Kharkiv, near the Russian border, late on Friday night.
The Interfax news agency reported parliament speaker Oleksandr Turchynov as saying Mr Yanukovych had been stopped by border police in an attempt to flee to Russia and was now somewhere in the Donetsk region.
Earlier on Saturday, protesters walked unchallenged into the president's office and residential compounds.
Ukraine's army released a statement on Saturday afternoon saying it would not get "involved in the domestic political conflict".
The vote to "remove Viktor Yanukovych from the post of president of Ukraine" was passed by 328 MPs.The vote to "remove Viktor Yanukovych from the post of president of Ukraine" was passed by 328 MPs.
Such ballots, passed by what is called constitutional majority, are binding and enter into force with immediate effect, the BBC's Ukraine analyst Olexiy Solohubenko reports.Such ballots, passed by what is called constitutional majority, are binding and enter into force with immediate effect, the BBC's Ukraine analyst Olexiy Solohubenko reports.
In an address televised before the vote to impeach him, Mr Yanukovych described events in Kiev as a "coup".In an address televised before the vote to impeach him, Mr Yanukovych described events in Kiev as a "coup".
He insisted he was the "lawfully elected president" and compared the actions of the opposition to the rise to power of the Nazis in 1930s Germany.He insisted he was the "lawfully elected president" and compared the actions of the opposition to the rise to power of the Nazis in 1930s Germany.
In his address Mr Yanukovych also called a raft of votes in Ukraine's parliament on Friday "illegitimate", claiming that MPs had been "beaten, pelted with stones and intimidated".In his address Mr Yanukovych also called a raft of votes in Ukraine's parliament on Friday "illegitimate", claiming that MPs had been "beaten, pelted with stones and intimidated".
However, he did admit that that some had left his party, calling them "traitors". However, he did admit that that some had left his Party of the Regions, calling them "traitors".
President Yanukovych also said his ally, parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Rybak, was forced to resign because he had been physically beaten.
He added that both Mr Rybak's car and his own had been fired at.
Mr Rybak resigned on Saturday morning citing ill health and was replaced by Mr Turchynov, a Tymoshenko ally.
Another Tymoshenko ally, Arsen Avakov, was appointed interim interior minister, replacing Vitaly Zakharchenko, who was sacked on Friday after being blamed for the deaths of civilians in last week's crackdown on protests.
Before Saturday's vote to oust Mr Yanukovych, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Ukrainian opposition of being led by "armed extremists and pogromists" whose actions were a threat to Ukraine's sovereignty and constitutional order.Before Saturday's vote to oust Mr Yanukovych, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Ukrainian opposition of being led by "armed extremists and pogromists" whose actions were a threat to Ukraine's sovereignty and constitutional order.
Also before the vote, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski - one of three EU ministers that mediated between the two sides this week - tweeted that there had been "no coup in Kiev".Also before the vote, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski - one of three EU ministers that mediated between the two sides this week - tweeted that there had been "no coup in Kiev".
Mr Sikorski, along with the German and French foreign ministers, presided over talks that led to a pact on Friday between Mr Yanukovych and opposition leaders which now seems to have been overtaken by events.Mr Sikorski, along with the German and French foreign ministers, presided over talks that led to a pact on Friday between Mr Yanukovych and opposition leaders which now seems to have been overtaken by events.
The deal followed several days of violence in which dozens of people died in a police crackdown on months of protest. The deal followed several days of violence in which dozens of people died in a police crackdown on months of protest. It called for the restoration of the 2004 constitution and the formation of a national unity government.
The agreement failed to end the protests overnight with huge crowds remaining in the Maidan. The agreement failed to end the protests overnight with huge crowds remaining in the Maidan calling for Mr Yanukovych's resignation.
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