A "mass killings" arrest warrant was issued for ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Monday. Avakov, now Ukraine's top law enforcement official, said on his Facebook page an arrest warrant has been issued for Yanukovych and "other [former] government officials" who were not named, the Kiev Post reported. The warrant for "mass killings of civilians" did not spell out which killings, but the Post said it was presumed the investigation centers on whether Yanukovych hired snipers or ordered riot police to shoot demonstrators in January and February. Nearly 100 civilians have been killed in the demonstrations, including at least 75 people last week, triggering Yanukovych's flight from Kiev and eventual impeachment Saturday. Avakov said authorities lost Yanukovych early Monday near his residence in the Balaklava district of Crimea where he released his guards from duty. Avakov said a criminal case also was opened against Yevhen Zhylyn, leader of Oplot, a pro-government militant group in Kharkiv. The organization gained notoriety when it released a video on YouTube featuring Zhylyn saying the group cut the ear of a demonstrator and telling people to "get ready for bloodshed."
