Tne Moscow News: Tymoshenko – ‘glorious martyr’?
For once, the EU, the U.S. and Russia are all on the same page, with everyone condemning the Yulia Tymoshenko verdict and sentencing – but for ordinary Ukrainians, this protracted political sideshow is just another means by which the ruling elite can absolve itself of fixing any actual problems in the country. It’s only natural to feel sympathy for Tymoshenko, jailed for seven years for “exceeding her powers” when she signed a 2009 gas deal with Russia – it’s hard to believe that the motivation between her trial and sentencing has anything to do with actual justice. Tymoshenko is currently the only real political rival to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, and having her in jail is pretty convenient for Yanukovych’s government. Read the story here.