At the request of the office of Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, a Kyiv court issued an ‘in absentia’ arrest warrant for former president Viktor Yanukovych.

The move is a procedural requirement needed for requesting Yanukovych’s extradition from Russia, the Prosecutor General’s office said in a statement released Tuesday.

Yanukovych fled Ukraine for Russia last February in the face of mass street protests against his government. More than 100 people, mostly demonstrators, were killed during the rallies. Protest leaders allege that Yanukovych gave the order to security forces to use lethal force against demonstrators. He is also accused of abuse of power and corruption.

Earlier this month Interpol put Yanukovych and other former Ukrainian officials on its international “wanted persons” list. Interpol’s charges against the former president include “misappropriation” and “embezzlement.”

Last week, Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted what it called “a source familiar with the situation” as saying that Moscow is likely to turn down a request to extradite Yanukovych, who is believed to be living in an upscale suburb of the Russian capital.

Yanukovych’s ouster, which was precipitated by his abandoning an association agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Moscow, is widely believed to have prompted Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea followed by a separatist conflict in the country’s east which to date has claimed more than 4,800 lives. Both are seen as part of efforts by Russia to destabilize Ukraine, now under a new pro-Western leadership.

Moscow denies the charge.

Ukraine-IMF talks

A Ukrainian Central Bank official has voiced optimism on the prospects of securing aid from the International Monetary Fund to cover a $15 billion funding gap, as negotiations by both sides on a new tranche of credit continue in Kyiv.

Ukraine, whose economy has been pushed close to bankruptcy by the ongoing conflict in its east, depends on outside assistance as it faces a budget shorfall and huge debt repayments.

“The talks are constructive. Cooperation with the IMF is fruitful. I feel optimism about the possible outcome,” the first deputy head of Ukraine’s Central Bank, Oleksander Pisaruk, told journalists Tuesday.

An IMF team has been in Kyiv since January 8 negotiating the disbursement of a third tranche from the Fund’s current $17 billion assistance package for Ukraine.

Kyiv has already received two tranches worth $4.6 billion. Negotiations on the third tranche are expected to last until the end of the month. Disbursement hinges in large part on Ukraine’s commitment to implement long-promised reforms.

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