Ukrainian border guards refused to allow a charter aircraft with President Viktor Yanukovich to take off from the Donetsk airport in the country's east, ITAR-TASS reported according to local UNN news agency.
The agency cited Segei Astakhov, a deputy head of the State Border Service, as saying that the charter flight had no proper documents and permission from the border guards to take off.
He said that during an inspection of the aircraft, armed men from the plane attempted to bribe the border guard staff in exchange for immediate clearance permit for the flight, but the border guards refused
"Two armored vehicles arrived shortly after that," Astakhov said adding that the president ascended the plane, sat in one of the cars and left the territory of the airport.
It was not reported where the aircraft with the president was bound for.