PUTIN: What Happened In Kiev Was An Unconstitutional Overthrow And Yanukovych Is Still President

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RT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told reporters that the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych amounted to an unconstitutional coup.

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"My assessment is that it's unconstitutional overthrow and and armed seizure of power," Putin told the press, according to the translation on Russia Today. "No one has challenged that."

Putin then began talking about the truce signed on February 21, which would have kept Yanukovych in power, and said that the ousted Ukrainian complied with the opposition's demands. Protesters rejected the deal and, after two bloody days, Yanukovych fled.

"Then the power was seized," Putin said. "Are the current authorities legitimate? Part of parliament yes, but the rest no. There is only one legitimate president - from a legal point of view, it's Mr. Yanukovych is president."

Yanukovych made a similar argument last week from the southern Russian port city of Rostov-on-Don, where he is under Kremlin protection.

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"The legitimate president, Yanukovych, asked Russia to defend the lives and health of Ukrainians. So our major concern is the ... nationalists and radical extremists that are rampant on the streets of Kiev."

About 16,000 Russian troops have invaded the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. They have surrounded several Ukrainian army bases in the strategic Black Sea region and are urging the soldiers to give up their arms and pledge allegiance to pro-Kremlin authorities in the region.

"We do reserve the right to use all the means to defend these people," Putin asserted. "We believe and do believe that Ukraine ... is our fraternal nation."

Putin said that he reinforced the military facilities in Crimea because radicals were moving toward Crimea. He added that he hopes that the Kremlin "does not have to do that" in the east of the country.

"Even if I decide to use the armed forces, then it will be in line iwht international law because we received a request from a legitimate president," Putin said. "This meets our national interest. This is a humanitarian mission."

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More to come.