DHAKA: Ukraine on Thursday accused both ousted pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych and Russian security agents of being responsible for February unrest in Kiev that claimed nearly 90 lives.

Acting interior minister Arsen Avakov said Yanukovych issued the ‘criminal order’ to fire at the pro-EU protesters while agents from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) helped him plan and carry out the deadly assault.

‘Yanukovych issued the criminal order... to open fire against protesters on February 18-20,’ Avakov told reporters, according to The Straits Times.

‘FSB agents took part in both the planning and execution of the so-called anti-terrorist operation,’ he added.

Three months of at-times violent anti-government protests by supporters of closer European ties culminated in two days of carnage in Kiev that led to parliament’s February 22 ouster of Yanukovych and his Russian-backed government.

BDST: 1632 HRS, APR 03, 2014