'Open house courtesy of the revolution': People of Kiev swarm Yanukovych's private zoo [pics]

Returning from a very surreal afternoon inside Yanukovych's residential compound. A real palace. Thousands of locals there, goggle-eyed

— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) February 22, 2014

Viktor Yanukovych appears to be digging in his heels today, refusing to resign as Ukraine’s president.

Yanukovych says he is victim of a 'coup d'etat', won't resign and will stay in Ukraine.

— David Blair (@davidblairdt) February 22, 2014

Yanukovych: "I'm won't sign anything with bandits who are terrorising Ukraine". Guess he's been on the phone to Moscow since yesterday

— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) February 22, 2014

Yanukovych to @UBR_ua:
– won't resign
– this is a nazi coup
– complain about repressions against his MPs/cronies pic.twitter.com/4DUpQaWD7M

— Maksym Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) February 22, 2014

Meanwhile, thousands reportedly swarmed his compound after he fled Kiev. Photos of his luxury villa, private zoo, boat and more are circulating on Twitter.

Maidan radicals at yanukovich estate cant believe they're there. None of us can believe how ugly it is. pic.twitter.com/fOEXZJiF77

— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) February 22, 2014

People of #Kyiv swarm over President’s estate, learn he has a boat there. A big one. http://t.co/1DSJHprqrJ pic.twitter.com/sFLNeVlnIz

— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) February 22, 2014

Yanukovich estate is so big, I walked around for two hours and didn't see this! pic.twitter.com/h74tZzN3q7

— Olaf Koens (@obk) February 22, 2014

Word spread that the private presidential compound on the outskirts of Kiev was now open to visitors, courtesy of the revolution. We headed down there and came across what looked remarkably like a swelling Saturday family outing. And yes, they were going to the zoo but it happened to be the president’s private zoo that had, until today, been kept a very well-guarded secret, together with all the other opulence of Villa Yanukovych. I have never seen anything like it.

Read the whole thing.

[Update]

The parliament has voted to remove Yanukovych from power.

Just now: Ukraine parliament votes to impeach Yanukovych. 328 votes for. MPs now singing national anthem in Verkhovna Rada.

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 22, 2014

Yanus own people in parliament voted for his impeachment. The President is a very lonely man in his own country. Supported only by Russia

— Matt Frei (@mattfrei) February 22, 2014

Boats, zoo, and soggy documents found at Yanukovych’s abandoned luxury estate [pics]

Police abandon posts around Kiev; Protesters now in full control? [photos]

‘They are fallin’: Monuments to Vladimir Lenin do forced faceplants in Ukraine