MOSCOW, December 24 (RAPSI) - Former president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich announced in his Wednesday interview with Argumenty I Fakty daily, that he never had bank accounts abroad and denied any involvement in corrupt activity.

“I will not stop saying that neither I nor my sons have ever been involved in any corrupt activity. It is no coincidence that the new Ukrainian officials have not been able to prove this. There is no evidence of that,” Yanukovich told the newspaper.

Yanukovich claimed he has no foreign accounts. “I don’t have and never had any accounts abroad. My lawyers sent requests to over 40 countries to confirm or deny that I have assets there. It’s been months and no country has confirmed it,” Yanukovich said.

However, in late February, the Swiss authorities froze the assets of 20 Ukrainians including Yanukovich, former prosecutor general Viktor Pshonka and former prime minister, Nikolai Azarov. In March, the assets belonging to nine more Ukrainian officials and their relatives were frozen.

In June, EuObserver reported that Yanukovich and his sons are contesting the freezing of their assets in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

On November 21, 2013, the Ukrainian government chaired by Nikolai Azarov, announced that the signing of the EU association agreement would be suspended. The announcement triggered mass protests in Kiev that eventually led to clashes with the police. Two months later, President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted.