Ukraine police hunt for Yanukovych, charged with mass murder

The Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovich, is wanted by police for the "mass murder of peaceful civilians", according to an arrest warrant that is being persued by the country's acting interior minister.

Arsen Avakov said on Monday that an arrest warrant was being drafted for Yanukovich, who fled the capital Kiev on Saturday following months of political upheaval that escalated into bloodshed.

The Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovich, is wanted by police for the "mass murder of peaceful civilians", according to an arrest warrant that is being persued by the country's acting interior minister.

Arsen Avakov said on Monday that an arrest warrant was being drafted for Yanukovich, who fled the capital Kiev on Saturday following months of political upheaval that escalated into bloodshed.

"A criminal case has been launched over the mass murder of peaceful civilians. Yanukovich and a number of other officials have been put on a wanted list," Avakov said in a statement on his Facebook account. However, the warrant had yet to be finalised by the attorney general. 

The statement was followed by comments by the Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who said the Ukraine's new authorities came to power in an "armed mutiny".

Reuters news agency said that Yanukovich was last seen in a private residence in Balaclava, Crimea.

On Monday afternoon acting president Oleksander Turchinov said the presidential election campaign would begin February 25, when the election commission would start registering candidates.

On Sunday, Turchinov said the country was ready for talks with Russia to try to improve relations, but made clear that Kiev's European integration would be a priority. He said that Ukraine's new leadership was ready to put Kiev-Moscow relations on a "new, equal and good-neighbourly footing that recognises and takes into account Ukraine's European choice".