MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Ukraine’s ousted president Viktor Yanukovich remained its only legitimate leader despite fleeing to Russia but conceded he lacked any political future.
“I think he has no political future — I told him that. As for playing a role in his fate, we did that purely from humanitarian reasons,” Putin said of Yanukovich, who took refuge in southern Russia after crossing from Ukraine.
Putin said Russia viewed Yanukovich as legally Ukraine’s president.
“The legitimate president, purely legally, is undoubtedly Yanukovich,” Putin said.
Crucially, Putin said this meant Russian intervention in Ukraine would be justified because Moscow had received a request for protection of its citizens from Yanukovich.
“We have a direct request from the acting and legitimate — as I have already said — president Viktor Yanukovich about using armed forces to protect the lives, health and freedom of Ukrainian citizens,” Putin said.
“Do you sympathise with him?” one journalist asked.
“No, I have completely different feelings,” Putin said.
But he said he believed Yanukovich had risked being killed by protesters when he fled Kiev late last month.
“Death is the easiest (way) to get rid of a legitimate president. That would have happened. I think they would have just killed him,” Putin said.
Putin said that Yanukovich had essentially handed over his powers on February 21 by signing agreements with the opposition leaders last month, counter-signed by international mediators.
He “practically gave up all his powers anyway. And I think he — and I told him this — had no chances of being re-elected,” Putin said.
AFP
