Yanukovych to Speak in Rostov-on-Don - Report

Viktor YanukovychFugitive Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will make an official statement Tuesday in Rostov-on-Don, sources close to the once powerful leader told RIA Novosti on Monday, ria.ru repots.

It will be the second public appearance by Yanukovych in the southern Russian city since he fled Ukraine for Russia last month as opposition protesters swept to power in the capital city, Kiev.

Yanukovych has said that he was forced to leave Ukraine amid threats against his person and maintains that he is the only legitimate president of Ukraine and will continue to fight against the new regime.

There were no details about the form of Yanukovych’s address.

The first press conference given by Yanukovych, also in Rostov-on-Don, was shrouded in secrecy about the exact time and place until hours before it began.

It is unclear exactly how much power remains in Yanukovych’s hands since his arrival in Russia.

The Ukrainian parliament last month confirmed the appointment of a new interim president, Oleksandr Turchynov, and a new government.

Yanukovych told reporters on February 28 that he did not support any military intervention in Ukraine’s internal affairs and said that Ukrainian regions should not use the current situation to secede.

Russian troops have flooded the southern Ukrainian region of Crimea in recent weeks and the regional legislature last week approved a referendum with the option of joining Russia that is set to be held March 16.