Viktor Yanukovych, ousted Saturday from his post as president of Ukraine, is now wanted by authorities in his country on charges of mass murder, the acting interior minister says.
Authorities want Yanukovych and some of his aides to be tried for the deaths of scores of protesters in Kiev last week, acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov writes on his Facebook page.
First, though, officials have to find the 63-year-old Yanukovych — who has accused opponents of staging an illegal coup. He's missing. As Reuters reports:
"According to Avakov's account of events, Yanukovych, after hearing he had been officially replaced in his presidential duties, headed for the Belbek military airport in Crimea. He then went in another direction after learning that the new heads of the interior ministry and state security service were waiting for him there.
"At a private residence in the Balaclava region, he gathered his security guards together and gave them a choice either to stay with him or leave, relinquishing protection from state-appointed bodyguards, Avakov said.
"Some left him, taking with them official state-registered weapons to hand over to the authorities in Crimea."