Kremlin planning to declare ex-President Yanukovych as new head of Ukraine

New Delhi, March 2  

Fugitive former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych is currently in Minsk, and the Kremlin is currently preparing him for a special operation, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

According to one scenario, the Kremlin will try to declare him the "President of Ukraine" there, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

The information obtained indicated that the Kremlin may be preparing an informational operation or action to return former President Yanukovych to Ukraine or to publish an appeal on his behalf to the Ukrainian people in the near future, the report added.

There are reports emerging that the Russian forces have been shelling Mariupol with various weapons continuously for 12 hours.

Vadym Boichenko, Mayor of Mariupol, on the unified TV and radio broadcast of the Ukrainian media said, "We have been flattened non-stop for 12 hours. The racist-fascist troops are razing my hometown to the ground." According to Boichenko, there has been total destruction of residential infrastructure.

There are dead and wounded, but they cannot be taken from the streets, houses and apartments due to the ongoing shelling, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

At the same time, the mayor thanked the Armed Forces, the National Guard and all defenders of the city who are holding their ground.

--IANS

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