You're reading: Moscow sees no grounds to reopen Tymoshenko case

Moscow/Kyiv - The criminal case against former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in relation to the $405-million debt to the Russian Defense Ministry for the supply of construction materials in exchange for gas, has been dropped in Russia due to the expiration of statute of limitations, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax.

As part of this case, Russian law enforcement authorities charged Tymoshenko in absentia with bribing Russian defense officials.

The Ukrainian authorities have sought to prosecute Tymoshenko for this count since the fall of 2010, the source said.

"However, Russia said that the case against Tymoshenko was dropped on non-rehabilitation grounds – due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, and there are no grounds to revive the case," the source said.

"Having decided not to reopen the case, Russia sent a letter to Kyiv in summer this year, asking to compensate the material damage for the supplied gas," the source said. It was this letter from the Russian Defense Ministry that enabled the Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to launch a new criminal case against Tymoshenko