DHAKA: Ukraine’s acting interior minister has said the elite Berkut police unit, blamed for the deaths of protesters, has been disbanded.

It is unclear what will happen to Berkut officers but Arsen Avakov said more details would be given in a briefing on Wednesday.

The unit had 4,000-5,000 members stationed across Ukraine.

Meanwhile, there are reports that that a new cabinet may be announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Parliament had officially delayed the formation of a unity government until Thursday.

The delay was to allow further consultations, interim president Oleksandr Turchynov said, adding that ‘a coalition of national faith must be elected’.

Also on Wednesday Turchynov announced that he had assumed the duties of the head of the armed forces.

Ousted president Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev at the weekend and his whereabouts are still unknown.

Interim authorities have issued a warrant for his arrest, and on Tuesday parliament voted in favour of trying him at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

The fugitive president is accused of being behind the deaths of more than 100 protesters at the hands of riot police, reports the BBC.

BDST: 1722 HRS, FEB 26, 2014