A criminal case against former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, under which Russia charged her with bribing Russian Defense Ministry officials while she headed the corporation United Energy Systems of Ukraine (UESU), was terminated not on rehabilitating grounds, Ukrainian First Deputy Prosecutor General Renat Kuzmin said.
"Russian Defense Ministry officials were convicted for accepting bribes and committing other violations in favor of Tymoshenko’s company, and Tymoshenko herself was charged under this case and was found guilty of organizing the giving of bribes. The case against Tymoshenko was terminated on non-rehabilitating grounds but due to the expiration of the statute of limitations," Kuzmin said on the Inter television channel on Friday evening.
An investigator from the Russian military prosecutor’s office "determined the fact of the commission of a crime by Yulia Tymoshenko, but the case was closed down at her request and with her consent," Kuzmin said.
The Russian Defense Ministry, however, insisted that the UESU debts be repaid to it, Kuzmin said. "But it is strange that the criminal case against Tymoshenko by some mysterious coincidence was terminated immediately after Tymoshenko was appointed prime minister," he said.
"Does it not occur strange to you that Yulia Tymoshenko later concluded a gas contract at a price clearly unfavorable to Ukraine?" he added.
Tymoshenko was once put on the international wanted list, and a Moscow court sanctioned her arrest, Kuzmin said. "Interpol had these documents, and Tymoshenko, as prime minister, had serious problems traveling abroad," he said.
Asked whether Russia is willing to assist Ukraine in determining all circumstances on this case, Kuzmin said: "They are surely demonstrating such willingness, but it is well-known that demonstration of willingness and practical steps are absolutely different things."
