Ukraine’s ousted president Viktor Yanukovych has appeared in public for the first time since he fled Kyiv – in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.<br /><br />At a news conference, Yanukovych said that he remained the “legitimate” president of Ukraine and declared that the country’s new government was “illegal”.<br /><br />“The time has come for me to say that I will continue the fight for the future of Ukraine. Against those who, by terror, try to control it,” he told reporters.<br /><br />Yanukovych left Kyiv a week ago after dozens of protesters were shot dead by riot police. <br /><br />“I never gave any orders to shoot,” he said and he blamed Ukraine’s descent into bloodshed on “radicals” and “right-wing thugs”.<br /><br />He apologised, however, to the Ukrainian people and said that he was “ashamed” that he had not been able to maintain stability in his country.<br /><br />Yanukovych said he had only left Ukraine due to concerns about his safety: “Nobody has overthrown me. I was compelled to leave Ukraine due to a direct threat to my life and threats to those closest to me.”<br /><br />Ukraine’s new government has issued an international arrest warrant for Yanukovych and wants him to face charges of mass murder.
