Ukraine’s ex-President on Interpol’s wanted list

Ex President of the Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych is accused by Ukranian officials of misusing millions of dollars in public funds, and he has been placed on Interpol's wanted list.

Yanukovych was ousted after the beginning of the Ukranian Revolution in 2014, which saw various clashes between police and protesters in the country’s capital Kiev.

Dozens of demonstrators lost their lives during these clashes, and the situation continued to escalate after the initial protests in February. Russia moved to annex Crimea from Ukraine and conflicts broke out in parts of eastern Ukraine.

Russia has continuously denied that it encouraged violence in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where an often broken ceasefire is in action.

According to Ukranian military officials, there had been an increase in rebel attacks on their positions in recent weeks.

A red notice for ex-President Yanukovych appeared on Interpol's website on Monday. Such a notice, essentially means that Interpol's role is described as assisting a national police force in "identifying and locating these persons with a view to their arrest and extradition or similar lawful action".

 Mr Yanukovych, 64, was allegedly last seen in a photograph with US film director Oliver Stone. The photo was said to have been taken in Moscow in December, with sources insisting that Russia would be unlikely to accept any request for his extradition.

Similar red notices were also issued for ex-Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Iurii Kolobov, a former finance minister.

Although he rejects the accusations against him, Ukraine's new government accuses the former president of ordering snipers to fire on protesters.