Arrest warrant issued on Yanukovych for crimes on protesters

Ukraine issued an arrest warrant Feb. 24 for ousted president Viktor Yanukovych over the “mass murder” of protesters after a week of bloodshed in the capital Kiev that claimed nearly 100 lives. The interim rulers also appealed for $35 billion in Western aid to pull the ex-Soviet country back from the brink of economic collapse.

The dramatic announcements by ex-Soviet country’s new Western-leaning ministers – approved by parliament over a chaotic weekend that saw the pro-Russian leader flee into hiding – came as a top EU envoy flew to Kiev to buttress its sudden tilt away from Moscow.

Ukraine’s new interim head of the federal police said on Feb. 23 that he held Yanukovych and his team of feared security insiders directly responsible for the deaths.