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| Ukraine: warrant out for Viktor Yanukovych's arrest, says interior minister | Ukraine: warrant out for Viktor Yanukovych's arrest, says interior minister |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukraine's acting government has issued a warrant for the arrest of President Viktor Yanukovych, last seen in the pro-Russian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, accusing him of mass crimes against protesters who stood up for months against his rule. | |
| Calls are mounting in Ukraine to put Yanukovych on trial after a tumultuous presidency in which he amassed powers, enriched his allies and cracked down on demonstrators. Anger boiled over last week after snipers attacked protesters in the bloodiest violence in Ukraine's post-Soviet history. | |
| The turmoil has raised fears that the country, with a population of 46 million, could split apart. The economy is on the brink of default and loyalties are torn between Europe and longtime ruler Russia. | The turmoil has raised fears that the country, with a population of 46 million, could split apart. The economy is on the brink of default and loyalties are torn between Europe and longtime ruler Russia. |
| Ukraine's acting interior minister, Arsen Avakhov, said on his official Facebook page on Monday that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Yanukovych and several other officials for the "mass killing of civilians". At least 82 people, primarily protesters, were killed in clashes in the capital Kiev last week. | |
| Avakhov said Yanukovych arrived in Crimea on Sunday, relinquished his official security detail then drove off to an unknown location. | |
| After signing an agreement with the opposition, Yanukovych fled the capital for eastern Ukraine. Avakhov said he tried to fly out of Donetsk but was stopped, then went to Crimea. | After signing an agreement with the opposition, Yanukovych fled the capital for eastern Ukraine. Avakhov said he tried to fly out of Donetsk but was stopped, then went to Crimea. |
| Tensions have been mounting in the peninsula, where pro-Russian protesters raised a Russian flag on a city hall in one town and scuffled with police. Russia maintains a big naval base in the Crimean port of Sevastopol that has complicated relations between the countries for two decades. | Tensions have been mounting in the peninsula, where pro-Russian protesters raised a Russian flag on a city hall in one town and scuffled with police. Russia maintains a big naval base in the Crimean port of Sevastopol that has complicated relations between the countries for two decades. |
| The protests were sparked in November when Yanukovych shelved an agreement with the EU and turned towards Russia. The movement quickly expanded its grievances to corruption, human rights abuses and calls for Yanukovych's resignation. | The protests were sparked in November when Yanukovych shelved an agreement with the EU and turned towards Russia. The movement quickly expanded its grievances to corruption, human rights abuses and calls for Yanukovych's resignation. |
| "We must find Yanukovych and put him on trial," said protester Leonid Shovtak, a 50-year-old farmer from the western Ivano-Frankivsk region who came to Kiev's Independence Square to take part in the three-month protest movement. "All the criminals with him should be in prison." | "We must find Yanukovych and put him on trial," said protester Leonid Shovtak, a 50-year-old farmer from the western Ivano-Frankivsk region who came to Kiev's Independence Square to take part in the three-month protest movement. "All the criminals with him should be in prison." |
| The parliamentary speaker assumed the president's powers on Sunday, even though a presidential aide told the Associated Press on Sunday that Yanukovych planned to stay in power. | |
| The speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov, said top priorities included saving the economy and "returning to the path of European integration", according to news agencies. The latter phrase is certain to displease Moscow, which wants Ukraine to be part of a customs union that would rival the EU and bolster Russia's influence. Russia granted Ukraine a $15bn (£9bn) bailout after Yanukovych backed away from the EU deal. | |
| US ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said America was ready to help Ukraine get aid from the International Monetary Fund. | US ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said America was ready to help Ukraine get aid from the International Monetary Fund. |
| The EU, meanwhile, is reviving efforts to strike a deal with Ukraine that could involve billions of euros in economic perks. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is visiting Kiev on Monday and Tuesday. | The EU, meanwhile, is reviving efforts to strike a deal with Ukraine that could involve billions of euros in economic perks. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is visiting Kiev on Monday and Tuesday. |
| The protest movement has been in large part a fight for the country's economic future –for better jobs and prosperity. | The protest movement has been in large part a fight for the country's economic future –for better jobs and prosperity. |
| Ukraine has struggled with corruption, bad government and short-sighted reliance on cheap gas from Russia. Political unrest has worsened the deficit and caused volatile exchange rates, and may have pushed the economy back into a recession. | |
| Per capita economic output is only around $7,300, even adjusted for the lower cost of living there, compared with $22,200 in Poland and around $51,700 in the US. Ukraine ranks 137th worldwide for output, behind El Salvador, Namibia, and Guyana. | |
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