(N.Morgan) The people of Ukraine have spoken and they want President Viktor Yanukovych out, but he has vowed to fight until the bitter end, to maintain his power and position. According to the ousted President, “I intend to continue to struggle for the future of Ukraine, against terror and fear,” Mr Yanukovych told the news conference in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.”What’s going on now is lawlessness, lack of authority, and terror. Decisions in parliament were taken under duress.”

He apologized to the Ukrainian people for not having “enough strength to keep stability” and described his usurpers as “young, neo-fascists”. He insisted he did not “flee anywhere”, explaining that his car was shot at as he left Kiev and he was forced to move around Ukraine amid fears for the safety of himself and his family. He said he arrived in Russia “thanks to a patriotically-minded young officer” and was given refuge in Rostov by an old friend.

Speaking in Russian, Mr Yanukovych said he would return to Ukraine “as soon as there are guarantees for my security and that of my family”.But he ruled out taking part in elections planned for 25 May, describing them as “illegal”. Later Ukrainian authorities said they had started moves to have him extradited to Kiev where he is wanted on charges of mass murder.

And he said the only way out of the crisis is to implement an EU-backed compromise agreement he signed with opposition leaders last week before he was deposed. The current turmoil in Crimea was “an absolutely natural reaction to the bandit coup that occurred in Kiev”, he said, adding that he was surprised by the restraint shown by Russian President Vladimir Putin so far. But he stressed that “military action in this situation is unacceptable” and said he wanted Crimea to remain part of Ukraine.