Defiant Yanukovych attacks opposition after sick leave announcement
President defends government's record and accuses opposition of escalating crisis. ● Ukraine's embattled president, Viktor Yanukovych, has accused the opposition of escalating the situation in the country and insisted that his government is doing all it can to solve the crisis. Yanukovych's defiant statement – released on the presidential website – followed an earlier announcement that he is taking sick leave due to an acute respiratory illness and high fever. There was no indication of how long he might be on leave or whether he would be able to do any work. The chief medical officer said the president was suffering from a "severe cold with a high temperature".