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The resolution says Yanukovych removed himself from the constitutional powers. "The state cannot depend on the mood of the president, who has removed himself and whose whereabouts are unknown," Verkhovna Rada speaker Aleksander Turchinov said.
"I want to say at about 15:00 Moscow time we've succeeded in contacting Yanukovych. In the presence of deputies Arseny Yatsenyuk (head of the Batkivshchina faction) has talked with him. Yatsenyuk proposed him to resign and he (Yanukovych) agreed," Turchinov said, adding "Later, talking with other people Yanukovych denied his statement."
In an interview with UBR television channel, Yanukovych said he considered the events in Ukraine "a coup d'etat". "I'm going to resign and leave the country," Yanukovych said.
Ukrainian President Yanukovych does rejects the decision of the Verkhovna Rada to remove him from the President's office, presidential adviser Anna Herman said this Saturday.
"The president rejects this decision of Verkhovna Rada as illegitimate."
"He has been on a working visit to Kharkiv for only half a day, which was wrongly considered to be his self-removal from the office," Herman said.
Yanukovych is the incumbent president and will continue to perform his duties.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych declares a coup d'état and is not going to resign, the mass media report citing the Ukrainian President's adviser. Viktor Yanukovych, who has refused to resign, gave an interview to TV channels Kharkov.
The interview was broadcasted on the 112 TV channel. In an interview he said he would not resign, and plans to tour the areas south and east. Yanukovych added that Ukraine's coup resembles the Germany events of 1930s when the Nazis came to power.
Yanukovych also said to Ukrainian television he'll do his best to end further bloodshed.
Oleg Tsarev, Ukrainian MP, a Party of Regions member in interview to the Voice of Russia said:
"President is not going to resign yet, being legitimately elected. All foreign countries have confirmed at the previous elections. There is no other way to remove him from the office except by his own statement. The legislators have not yet introduced the procedure of impeachment . In case they vote in favor of it, then again the president will have to sign the bill first.
Also, the president have not yet signed any amendments to the Constitution, so we still have the current Constitution. This means that the Supreme Council has no right to appoint ministers. If these ministers appoint themselves, their subordinates have the right not to carry out their orders."
Fyodor Lukianov, Russian political analyst, in interview to the Voice of Russia said:
"I think that Yanukovych no longer expects a pleasant outcome to this situation, since he left Kiev and practically let his opponents decide the future of the country. Although the agreement, that was concluded yesterday with the assistance of and under pressure from European politicians, does not provide for his immediate resignation and departure from power. But he nevertheless was afraid to take the risks, he chose not to participate in the further struggle, leaving for the place where he feels more confident. By leaving Kiev, he actually deprived himself of the opportunity to influence the state of affairs. At the same time, it is not yet clear what the South and the East of the Ukraine make of it. I think his refusal to resign is dictated by the intent to find out whether he has any serious reliance left in these areas of the country. If he happens to find it, then he will insist on the dual power situation. But in general, his actions turn away even his supporters, it is unlikely they will now bet on him. In many ways, the whole crisis was provoked and aggravated by his unprofessional actions and now at the most crucial moment, he has once again demonstrated that he is not a politician who is capable of drastic actions."
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said Saturday on the Ukrainian television that he would sign no documents with the "bandits" who terrorize the Ukraine.
"I'm not going to sign anything with the bandits, who today are terrorizing the whole country and the Ukrainian people," he said.
Former chairman of Ukraine's parliament Volodymyr Rybak "was beaten up" after resigning as head of the legislature, President Viktor Yanukovych said on Saturday.
"He was beaten up. He came over to me. He was being fired at en route. He asked me to pick him up. I did pick him up and sent him to Donetsk to take treatment," Yanukovych told UBR television.
Voice of Russia, RIA, Interfax
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