BBC Online :
Ukraine’s interim President Olexander Turchynov has warned of the dangers of separatism following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych.
His comments came amid continuing opposition in Ukraine’s Russian-speaking regions to the new administration in Kiev.
The formation of a unity government has been delayed until Thursday.
Parliament has now voted strongly in favour of trying Yanukovych at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Ukraine is not a signatory to the ICC convention. The BBC’s Anna Holligan, in The Hague, says it is by no means automatic that the ICC would accept a case from Ukraine.
The ICC is a court of last resort, our correspondent says – it will only try a case if the country concerned is genuinely unwilling or unable to do so.
A spokesman for the court told the BBC that states cannot ask the ICC to investigate a specific individual, only a set of events. The decision to prosecute an individual would rest with the ICC prosecutor.
In its resolution on trying Yanukovych at the ICC, parliament said he had been involved in “serious crimes”.
The ex-president is accused of being behind the deaths of more than 100 people during police violence against protesters.
MPs also want former Interior Minister Vitali Zakharchenko and former Prosecutor-General Viktor Pshonka tried.
Yanukovych has been missing since last week. He was last reportedly seen on Sunday in Balaklava, on the Crimean peninsula. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
There are unconfirmed reports that one of his former aides, Andriy Kliuyev, has been shot and wounded.
A spokesman was quoted on local media as saying Kliuyev’s life was not in danger. It is not clear whether Kliuyev, the former head of the presidential administration, was with Yanukovych at the time.
Russian flag in Sevastopol, 25 February 2014 Many in people, such as here in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, oppose the changes in Kiev
Addressing parliament, Turchynov said he would meet law enforcement agencies to discuss the risk of separatism in regions with large ethnic Russian populations.
Separatism was a “serious threat”, he said.
Crimea and some pro-Russian areas in the east have seen protests against the overthrow of Yanukovych, sparking fears of secession.
The delay in announcing a unity government was to allow further consultations, Turchynov said, adding that “a coalition of national faith must be elected”.
