Government authority appeared to melt away Saturday, leaving protesters in control of the capital's center. President Viktor Yanukovych left the capital for a city in the country's Russian-speaking east and said he would work to prevent the country from splitting up.
In a television interview Saturday afternoon in Kharkiv, where Russian-speaking supporters had gathered, Mr. Yanukovych denounced the events in Kiev as a "coup d'etat" that he blamed on "bandits." He said he wasn't stepping down and vowed to remain inside the country. He said parliament's decisions today are "illegal" and that he would refuse to sign them. Asked about his plans, he said he will travel in the Russian-speaking south and east of the country, "where for the moment it's less dangerous."
Opposition leader Vitali Klitschko earlier had called on parliament to vote to oust Mr. Yanukovych and announce presidential elections...
