Viktor Yanukovych, who has declared his legitimacy as president of Ukraine, said that he didn't give orders to the police to use force against the rioters, RIA Novosti reported on Feb. 28.
"I have never given any order to the police to shoot. The police, you know, was unarmed until the last moment. When there was a threat to their lives, when shootings against them began, then the police began to take up arms," Yanukovych said at the press conference.
Translated by L.Z.
Edited by C.N.