Ukraine's Ousted President Vows To Fight On

Defiant Viktor Yanukovych has appeared in public for the first time since he was ousted as Ukraine's president and vowed to fight on.

Speaking at a televised press conference in Rostov-on-Don, in Russia, Mr Yanukovych said he was forced out of the country by a minority of "pro-fascist thugs".

He said he would return to govern the country once he receives "international safety guarantees". 

An armed man is seen patrolling outside an airport in the Crimea region

He blamed the "irresponsible policies" of the West for the crisis in the country and apologised "to the Ukrainian people" for not having had more strength.

He made his statement as Ukraine security sources said they had regained control of two airports amid claims Russian forces tried to seize them.

Earlier, Ukraine's interior minister Arsen Avakov accused Russian forces of staging an "armed invasion" in Crimea, something Russia has firmly denied.

Map shows the peninsular of Crimea

Commenting on the reports Mr Yanukovych said the Crimea standoff was a natural reaction to a "bandit-like" takeover.

Mr Yanukovych added that he had spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin by phone after arriving in Russia but wouldn't ask for military assistance.

The accusations against Russia came after armed men were seen patrolling the perimeter at the Simferopol airport.

There were also reports that Russian forces were blocking an airport in Sevastopol.

More than 10 Russian military helicopters have also flown from Russia into Ukrainian airspace over the Crimea region, the Ukrainian border guard service said.

Protesters raise a Russian flag in Crimea

However, Ukraine's security authorities have said they had regained control of the two airports.

"There was an attempt to seize the airports, but we have localised those attempts," Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council chief Andriy Parubiy said.

"The airports are now controlled by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities."

The accusations come a day after dozens of pro-Moscow gunmen seized government buildings in the Crimean capital of Simferopol.

An armed man at the airport in Simferopol

These included the regional parliament, which subsequently voted to hold a referendum on May 25 to expand the region's autonomy from Kiev.

France, Germany and Poland said that they were "very worried" by events in Crimea.

The countries urged all parties to refrain from any action endangering Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov has dismissed the head of the country's armed forces.

Admiral Yuriy Ilyin had been appointed at the height of protests against President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted last Saturday.

No reason was given for his dismissal in a brief statement on the presidential website.

It has also emerged that Swiss prosecutors have launched a money-laundering probe against Mr Yanukovych and his son Aleksander.

Austria has also frozen the bank accounts of Mr Yanukovych.

Ukraine will ask Russia to extradite the ousted president, the general prosecutor's office said this morning.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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