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| Acting Officials in Ukraine Seek Stability and Ousted Leader | Acting Officials in Ukraine Seek Stability and Ousted Leader |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s acting interior minister said on Monday that the authorities were in pursuit of the ousted president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, who was believed to be in Crimea in the south of the country, and that he would be arrested on charges of mass murder in the killings of dozens of antigovernment protesters last week. | KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s acting interior minister said on Monday that the authorities were in pursuit of the ousted president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, who was believed to be in Crimea in the south of the country, and that he would be arrested on charges of mass murder in the killings of dozens of antigovernment protesters last week. |
| The minister, Arsen Avakov, who was appointed by Parliament on Saturday, wrote on his Facebook page that he was personally involved in the manhunt and had traveled to the Crimean city of Sevastopol on Sunday night hoping to intercept Mr. Yanukovych at the airport there, but that the deposed president had not turned up as expected. | The minister, Arsen Avakov, who was appointed by Parliament on Saturday, wrote on his Facebook page that he was personally involved in the manhunt and had traveled to the Crimean city of Sevastopol on Sunday night hoping to intercept Mr. Yanukovych at the airport there, but that the deposed president had not turned up as expected. |
| He said Mr. Yanukovych had then fled in an unknown direction, traveling by car, and with a diminished security detail. | He said Mr. Yanukovych had then fled in an unknown direction, traveling by car, and with a diminished security detail. |
| The pursuit of Mr. Yanukovych, a man now widely despised even by many of his former supporters, gripped the nation on Monday, as Parliament continued its efforts to rebuild the government, with hopes of appointing an acting prime minister and having the rest of a provisional government in place on Tuesday. | The pursuit of Mr. Yanukovych, a man now widely despised even by many of his former supporters, gripped the nation on Monday, as Parliament continued its efforts to rebuild the government, with hopes of appointing an acting prime minister and having the rest of a provisional government in place on Tuesday. |
| Former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko, freed from prison on Saturday, has said she does not want to be considered for the post. So speculation on the premiership is now focusing on her ally Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, who has been a leader of the anti-Yanukovych street protests since they began in late November. | Former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko, freed from prison on Saturday, has said she does not want to be considered for the post. So speculation on the premiership is now focusing on her ally Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, who has been a leader of the anti-Yanukovych street protests since they began in late November. |
| Western officials on Monday continued to praise the developments in Ukraine, saying that Parliament had successfully filled a power vacuum, and that democratic institutions had functioned successfully. They urged the interim authorities to quickly address the enormous economic problems confronting the country and suggested a willingness to provide assistance. | Western officials on Monday continued to praise the developments in Ukraine, saying that Parliament had successfully filled a power vacuum, and that democratic institutions had functioned successfully. They urged the interim authorities to quickly address the enormous economic problems confronting the country and suggested a willingness to provide assistance. |
| Russia, however, stepped up its criticism after recalling its ambassador from Kiev on Sunday. | Russia, however, stepped up its criticism after recalling its ambassador from Kiev on Sunday. |
| “Today, I see no legitimate Ukrainian partners for dialogue,” the Russian prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, said in Sochi, a day after the close of the Winter Olympics, according to the Interfax news service. “If people crossing Kiev in black masks with Kalashnikov rifles are considered a government, it will be difficult for us to work with such a government.” | “Today, I see no legitimate Ukrainian partners for dialogue,” the Russian prime minister, Dmitri A. Medvedev, said in Sochi, a day after the close of the Winter Olympics, according to the Interfax news service. “If people crossing Kiev in black masks with Kalashnikov rifles are considered a government, it will be difficult for us to work with such a government.” |
| In fact, the security situation in the Ukrainian capital seemed to improve on Monday, with regular law enforcement bodies and some antigovernment fighters sharing responsibility for guarding government buildings and directing traffic. A sense of workaday calm seemed to return to the city, even as barricades still surrounded the main protest sites. | In fact, the security situation in the Ukrainian capital seemed to improve on Monday, with regular law enforcement bodies and some antigovernment fighters sharing responsibility for guarding government buildings and directing traffic. A sense of workaday calm seemed to return to the city, even as barricades still surrounded the main protest sites. |
| As Mr. Yanukovych’s public persona morphed from feared strongman to detested fugitive, any last vestiges of support for him seemed to vanish even in the pro-Russia eastern and southern parts of the country, which had historically provided his base of political support. | As Mr. Yanukovych’s public persona morphed from feared strongman to detested fugitive, any last vestiges of support for him seemed to vanish even in the pro-Russia eastern and southern parts of the country, which had historically provided his base of political support. |
| Mr. Yanukovych’s own Party of Regions, which had supported him until lawmakers began defecting over last week’s mass killings in Kiev, issued a statement on Sunday saying the country had been deceived, robbed and betrayed. “All responsibility for this lies with Yanukovych,” the party wrote. “We condemn the flight and cowardice of Yanukovych. We condemn the betrayal.” | Mr. Yanukovych’s own Party of Regions, which had supported him until lawmakers began defecting over last week’s mass killings in Kiev, issued a statement on Sunday saying the country had been deceived, robbed and betrayed. “All responsibility for this lies with Yanukovych,” the party wrote. “We condemn the flight and cowardice of Yanukovych. We condemn the betrayal.” |
| Mr. Yanukovych and his family were known to have accumulated vast wealth during his time in office, and he was believed to have access to at least one yacht that might ferry him out of Ukraine. | Mr. Yanukovych and his family were known to have accumulated vast wealth during his time in office, and he was believed to have access to at least one yacht that might ferry him out of Ukraine. |
| On Facebook, Mr. Avakov said that after abandoning his residence near the capital, Mr. Yanukovych had flown by helicopter to Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, where he prepared a video statement on Saturday declaring that he remained president. Then he went to the airport in Donetsk, where he and several companions sought to flee the country on Falcon airplanes. | On Facebook, Mr. Avakov said that after abandoning his residence near the capital, Mr. Yanukovych had flown by helicopter to Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, where he prepared a video statement on Saturday declaring that he remained president. Then he went to the airport in Donetsk, where he and several companions sought to flee the country on Falcon airplanes. |
| Border police officers at the airport prevented the planes from flying, Mr. Avakov said, and Mr. Yanukovych then departed in a motorcade for the south. After learning that Parliament had voted to strip him of power, Mr. Yanukovych began avoiding government residences, including a presidential country house in Crimea where he had been expected to seek shelter. | Border police officers at the airport prevented the planes from flying, Mr. Avakov said, and Mr. Yanukovych then departed in a motorcade for the south. After learning that Parliament had voted to strip him of power, Mr. Yanukovych began avoiding government residences, including a presidential country house in Crimea where he had been expected to seek shelter. |
| In addition to the murder charges, there have been calls for the prosecution of Mr. Yanukovych on corruption charges after the discovery of astonishing trappings of wealth at his abandoned presidential residence in a national park outside Kiev. Throughout the weekend, curious and angry members of the public streamed to the compound to gawk at the collections of expensive modern and antique cars, the private zoo and other gauche accouterments. | In addition to the murder charges, there have been calls for the prosecution of Mr. Yanukovych on corruption charges after the discovery of astonishing trappings of wealth at his abandoned presidential residence in a national park outside Kiev. Throughout the weekend, curious and angry members of the public streamed to the compound to gawk at the collections of expensive modern and antique cars, the private zoo and other gauche accouterments. |
| As journalists scoured the compound, sorting through a trove of documents that had been partly burned or dumped in a river, local news media began reporting allegations of embezzlement and corruption, and new details about Mr. Yanukovych’s personal life emerged. | As journalists scoured the compound, sorting through a trove of documents that had been partly burned or dumped in a river, local news media began reporting allegations of embezzlement and corruption, and new details about Mr. Yanukovych’s personal life emerged. |
| The Kyiv Post, a newspaper here, said that it had found evidence that Mr. Yanukovych, 63, was living at the residence with a 39-year-old girlfriend and her 12-year-old daughter from a prior relationship. Mr. Yanukovych has been married for 42 years, but his wife, Lyudmila, has long lived in Donetsk and typically has not performed the duties of first lady. | The Kyiv Post, a newspaper here, said that it had found evidence that Mr. Yanukovych, 63, was living at the residence with a 39-year-old girlfriend and her 12-year-old daughter from a prior relationship. Mr. Yanukovych has been married for 42 years, but his wife, Lyudmila, has long lived in Donetsk and typically has not performed the duties of first lady. |
| It was not clear whether the girlfriend, identified as Lyubov Plezhay, was traveling with Mr. Yanukovych. Mr. Avakov said that the ousted president was accompanied by Andriy Klyuyev, a close political ally whom he had recently named as chief of the presidential administration. | It was not clear whether the girlfriend, identified as Lyubov Plezhay, was traveling with Mr. Yanukovych. Mr. Avakov said that the ousted president was accompanied by Andriy Klyuyev, a close political ally whom he had recently named as chief of the presidential administration. |
| As the Western world considered the extent of Ukraine’s gaping economic needs, the White House announced that Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew had conferred on Monday with the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Christine Lagarde, on how best to provide assistance. | As the Western world considered the extent of Ukraine’s gaping economic needs, the White House announced that Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew had conferred on Monday with the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Christine Lagarde, on how best to provide assistance. |
| A White House statement said that Mr. Lew, while en route to Washington from a Group of 20 meeting in Sydney, Australia, had telephoned Ms. Lagarde to say he had spoken with Mr. Yatsenyuk, a former economy minister, to assure him of “the broad support for an international assistance package centered on the I.M.F.” | A White House statement said that Mr. Lew, while en route to Washington from a Group of 20 meeting in Sydney, Australia, had telephoned Ms. Lagarde to say he had spoken with Mr. Yatsenyuk, a former economy minister, to assure him of “the broad support for an international assistance package centered on the I.M.F.” |
| The statement twice made clear that such assistance could go only to a “fully established” government in Ukraine. | The statement twice made clear that such assistance could go only to a “fully established” government in Ukraine. |
| It said that Mr. Lew had urged Mr. Yatsenyuk to “quickly begin implementing economic reforms” and enter talks with the I.M.F. once a transitional government is established. | It said that Mr. Lew had urged Mr. Yatsenyuk to “quickly begin implementing economic reforms” and enter talks with the I.M.F. once a transitional government is established. |
| The leader of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a 57-nation group that includes Ukraine, said it had sent a team to the country to conduct a “needs-assessment mission.” The leader, Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter of Switzerland, also said he plans to establish a group responsible for helping provide “support of Ukraine in its transition period.” Mr. Burkhalter was speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting on cooperation with the O.S.C.E., which is headquartered in Vienna. |