Russia has been protecting former Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko, who has been sentenced to seven years of prison, "in the same way influence agents are usually protected," a Ukrainian diplomat told Interfax-Ukraine.
"One cannot ignore the fact that Russia for the second time has been strongly protecting Tymoshenko. Only an influence agent can be protected in such a way. Let’s remember that those people don’t work constantly for a foreign government, they do what a foreign government needs at a certain time. It is obvious that Yulia Volodymyrivna did so on January 19, 2009 [when she signed the gas contract with the Russian Federation]," the source said.
In a commentary on a statement by Russian Premier Vladimir Putin regarding the conviction of Tymoshenko, the source said, "Vladimir Vladimirovich, as no other, knows professionally what an influence agent is."
"One has to respect the way Russia stands up for its gas sphere, but, unfortunately, Ukrainian interests do not coincide with Russian ones in this sphere," the source said.
As reported, Putin earlier said he does not understand why Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison, and stressed that "it is dangerous and counterproductive to question this entire complex of agreements" between Russia and Ukraine.
"Seven years is a special kind of figure. In itself it’s a good figure. Though, to be honest, I can’t quite understand why she got those seven years," Putin said in comments to reporters.
