Viktor Yanukovich, being in the Crimea after his escape from Kiev in late February 2014, chose between the "civil war" and "temporary departure" from Ukraine. This former security guard of ex-dictator Sergei Bernatsky said at today's meeting of the Obolonsky district court of Kiev. The witness gave testimony on video from the temporarily annexed Crimea.

According to Bernatsky, after meeting with the then head of Sevastopol City State Administration Vladimir Yatsuba, Yanukovych "argued" about two options for a way out of the situation. The first of them was "to stay, call on their supporters and fight for the restoration of the legitimate authority, but this would lead to a large-scale civil war," the second is "to temporarily leave the country in a political and negotiated way to restore justice and constitutional order,.

Judge Vladislav Devyatko noted that in the "Kharkov address" Yanukovych declared "no fear and unwillingness to leave Ukraine," but a day later he left the country.

To this, Bernatsky replied that he did not consider such a step a drastic change, since the ex-president "was against bloodshed".

Asked when Yanukovych was going to return to Ukraine, since it was a question of "temporary" departure, Bernatsky could not answer.

Today, on June 22, Bernatsky said that he was the one who printed the letter of Yanukovych's appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the introduction of troops into Ukraine.

Source: LIGA.