Ex-Ukrainian President Yanukovych to be arrested if attempts to return to Ukraine – parliamentarian
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will be immediately arrested if he attempts to cross the Ukrainian border, says Anton Heraschenko, a parliamentarian from the Popular Front faction and a member of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry board.
"Yanukovych would be immediately arrested if he tried to return to Ukraine," Heraschenko said, in commenting on Yanukovych's statement in an interview with Russian media on his intention to return to Ukrainian politics.
Yanukovych has been declared wanted by Interpol, and his name figures in a number of criminal cases for crimes against Maidan activists and other crimes, Heraschenko said. "The matter concerns a series of actions, such as the issuance of an order on illegally dispersing students on November 29, 2013 and during a December 11 rally, the issuance of an order on February 18 on illegally starting an antiterrorist operation, and, finally, orders on illegally distributing weapons and killing people," Heraschenko said.
At the same time, he admitted that some political forces are taking steps that could "make Yanukovych's return to Ukraine a reality."
"If certain forces keep rocking the political boat of Ukrainian independence and try to hold parliamentary reelections, after which such parties as the Opposition Bloc and the like might come to power in the current conditions of a difficult economic situation, and reforms that have been started but have not [yet] been finished, Yanukovych could return to Ukraine in this case," he said.