He never ordered the security forces to open fire, he said, but admitted he had not done enough to prevent bloodshed.
"I did not give any orders [to use firearms], that was not my authority. I was against any use of force, let alone the use of firearms, I was against bloodshed.
"But the members of the security forces fulfilled their duties according to existing laws. They had the right to use weapons," he said.
Mr Yanukovych told the BBC that the war was a "nightmare" that had become a reality.
Russia`s annexation of Crimea was a "tragedy", which would not have happened on his watch, he said.
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