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Ukraine's President Flees Palace In Kiev: Reports

The president has reportedly left his palace in Kiev a day after he reached a deal with opposition leaders aimed at ending the long-running crisis.

Ukraine's President Flees Palace In Kiev: Reports
Wikimedia Commons / Mstyslav Chernov/Unframe

Protesters in Ukraine's capital say they now have full control of the city.

Just 24 hours ago, Kiev resembled a war zone. But listen to how reporters from Channel 4 and the BBC reporter describe the scene now. (Via ITN

"Now look at the streets, its been swept clean. There’s an amazing kind of domesticity of this place. The barricades are swept with almost Swiss like precision." (Via Channel 4

"It does feel now that there’s been some sort of regime change. No sign of President Yanukovych." (Via BBC)  

Various media outlets are reporting embattled President Viktor Yanukovych has fled his palace in Kiev, some speculate for the eastern part of the country — a part of the country that’s remained loyal to him. (Via NPR, ITV, The New York Times)  

These developments come not long after he and the opposition agreed to a Western-brokered truce, following 20 hours of non-stop negotiations ending Friday. (Via Euronews

Under the deal, Yanukovych is stripped of some of his power, a constitution drafted in 2004 is restored, and he's agreed to early elections. (Via Wikimedia Commons / Dzhygyr Anatol)

But because Yanukovych does remain in power under the deal, many in the opposition have rejected it — calling for the his resignation letter instead.

The calls for his removal has been ongoing since November. The protests initially started over Yanukovych’s last-minute decision to ditch an association agreement with the European Union, in favor of a deal with Russia. (Via CBS

Since the protests began three months ago, 77 people are said to have died.