Ukraine's parliamentary speaker, Oleksander Turchinov, has temporarily taken over the duties of the president after MPs voted to dismiss Viktor Yanukovych.

Pictures have emerged showing a man getting into a helicopter at the presidential retreat on Friday night - but it's not known whether it is Yanukovych - who is still missing.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko - who's been freed from prison - has announced she will not seek the role in the new government.

Ukraine’s politicians have until Tuesday to form a new government. They have voted to temporarily hand over the duties of president to the Parliament’s speaker, Oleksander Turchinov, following yesterday’s vote to dismiss President Viktor Yanukovych.

Domitilla Sagramoso is a Russian expert:

President Yanukovych yesterday fled Kiev and his whereabouts remain a mystery. As a result Parliament has voted to seize his luxury estate near the capital. Yanukovych has described the vote to remove him as “a coup”.

Thousands of protesters are still in Independence Square after former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told them to stay until the job's done, following her release yesterday from prison.

EU envoy Baroness Ashton will visit Ukraine tomorrow.

Tymoshenko does not enjoy universal support, however, with many viewing her as a part of the old system, when Ukraine is in need of new faces in the political arena.

The US is also warning it would be a "grave mistake" for Russia to send military forces into Ukraine.

After months of protests - the country's pro-Russian President is in hiding and opposition leaders are arranging meetings with key European allies.

Earlier Russian President Putin and Germany's Angela Merkel agreed the 'territorial integrity' of Ukraine must be upheld.

Susan Rice is America's national security adviser:

Image:Ukraine's opposition leader Arseny Yatsenyuk addresses to the Parliament in Kiev February 21, 2014