This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/world/europe/deposed-ukrainian-leader-calls-crimea-annexation-a-tragedy.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Deposed Ukrainian Leader Calls Crimea Annexation a ‘Tragedy’ Deposed Ukrainian Leader Calls Crimea Annexation a ‘Tragedy’
(5 months later)
KIEV, Ukraine — Viktor F. Yanukovych, the deposed president of Ukraine, called Russia’s annexation of Crimea a “tragedy” on Wednesday and said he would try to negotiate the region’s return from President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. KIEV, Ukraine — Viktor F. Yanukovych, the deposed president of Ukraine, called Russia’s annexation of Crimea a “tragedy” on Wednesday and said he would try to negotiate the region’s return from President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.
Yet he absolved both himself and Mr. Putin of any blame for the region’s secession, saying that Crimeans had voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia in a form of protest against the country’s new revolutionary government.Yet he absolved both himself and Mr. Putin of any blame for the region’s secession, saying that Crimeans had voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia in a form of protest against the country’s new revolutionary government.
“Everything that happened in Crimea is the achievement of the current rulers of Ukraine, this is their radical position,” said Mr. Yanukovych, a bearlike man whose eyes welled up with tears at times during an interview with The Associated Press and the Russian television station NTV.“Everything that happened in Crimea is the achievement of the current rulers of Ukraine, this is their radical position,” said Mr. Yanukovych, a bearlike man whose eyes welled up with tears at times during an interview with The Associated Press and the Russian television station NTV.
Mr. Yanukovych, who spoke from the Black Sea city of Rostov-on-Don in Russia, where he has lived in exile since fleeing Ukraine during street protests in February, has insisted in several appearances that he remains the country’s rightful president. At home, however, Mr. Yanukovych has increasingly been disregarded by rivals and abandoned by his supporters, and it is unclear that his words retain much force.Mr. Yanukovych, who spoke from the Black Sea city of Rostov-on-Don in Russia, where he has lived in exile since fleeing Ukraine during street protests in February, has insisted in several appearances that he remains the country’s rightful president. At home, however, Mr. Yanukovych has increasingly been disregarded by rivals and abandoned by his supporters, and it is unclear that his words retain much force.
In the interview, he confirmed that he had asked Mr. Putin to send troops into the country to protect Ukrainians from armed gangs, some of whom had tried to kill him, he said.In the interview, he confirmed that he had asked Mr. Putin to send troops into the country to protect Ukrainians from armed gangs, some of whom had tried to kill him, he said.
Mr. Yanukovych did not answer a direct question about whether Russia should use military force in Ukraine. He also denied a role in the shooting deaths of dozens of people in central Kiev in February, when unseen and still unidentified gunmen fired at protesters with great accuracy.Mr. Yanukovych did not answer a direct question about whether Russia should use military force in Ukraine. He also denied a role in the shooting deaths of dozens of people in central Kiev in February, when unseen and still unidentified gunmen fired at protesters with great accuracy.
“I never gave any kind of orders to shoot,” he said, adding that he did not believe weapons were given to police units engaged in clashes with protesters.“I never gave any kind of orders to shoot,” he said, adding that he did not believe weapons were given to police units engaged in clashes with protesters.
He also denied using money made in corrupt schemes to build a sprawling residence outside of Kiev that included a zoo with exotic animals, a collection of expensive automobiles and a dining hall inside a replica Spanish galleon.He also denied using money made in corrupt schemes to build a sprawling residence outside of Kiev that included a zoo with exotic animals, a collection of expensive automobiles and a dining hall inside a replica Spanish galleon.
“I was hearing about it for the first time,” he said of a loaf of bread formed of solid gold that was discovered on the residence — photographs of which spread on social networks. “All the propaganda which has been unleashed about me, including sanctions freezing some of my supposed accounts, is all a distortion.”“I was hearing about it for the first time,” he said of a loaf of bread formed of solid gold that was discovered on the residence — photographs of which spread on social networks. “All the propaganda which has been unleashed about me, including sanctions freezing some of my supposed accounts, is all a distortion.”
In the future, Mr. Yanukovych said, he hopes to return to Ukraine.In the future, Mr. Yanukovych said, he hopes to return to Ukraine.
“I am required to do this,” he said of returning home, mentioning in particular the coal-mining region in the southeast of the country where he was born and that formed his political base while he was president. “I would like this to happen by peaceful means.”“I am required to do this,” he said of returning home, mentioning in particular the coal-mining region in the southeast of the country where he was born and that formed his political base while he was president. “I would like this to happen by peaceful means.”