You're reading: Peskov: Putin contacted Yanukovych as Ukraine’s legitimate president

Russian President Vladimir Putin has had contacts with Viktor Yanukovych because the latter remains the legitimate President of Ukraine even after his arrival in Russia, the Russian president's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

“Yanukovych is staying in Russia simply because he cannot go to
Ukraine – this would endanger his life. Obviously, they [V. Putin and V.
Yanukovych] have had contacts because he [V. Yanukovych] de jure
remains the legitimate President of Ukraine,” Peskov said on the Pravo
Znat program of TVTs television station.