Ukraine's beleaguered president to return from sick leave Monday

A Ukrainian flag flies at a barricade set up by anti-government protesters as riot police stand guard in central Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014. Kitted out in masks, helmets and protective gear on the arms and legs, radical activists are the wild card of the Ukraine protests now starting their third month, declaring they're ready to resume violence if the stalemate persists. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) (The Associated Press)

KIEV, Ukraine – The website of Ukraine's beleaguered President Viktor Yanukovych says he is to return to work on Monday from a short sick leave.

The announcement last Thursday that Yanukovych was on sick leave due to an acute respiratory illness raised concerns that he may have been taking himself out of action in preparation for declaring a state of emergency as the country's political crisis heads into its third month.

Protesters seeking Yanukovych's resignation held one of their largest gatherings in recent weeks on Sunday, with about 30,000 people assembling at the main protest site in Kiev's central square.