You're reading: Tymoshenko suspects poison in her cosmetics, experts reject her suspicions, says penitentiary service

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko suspects that someone could have added poison to her cosmetics, while experts did not discover any poisonous substances in it, according to the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine.

“On January 5 night convict Tymoshenko sent to the head of Kachanivska Penal Colony (no. 54) another statement about a threat to her health and life at Ukrzaliznytsia’s Central Clinical Hospital. In particular, the statement reads that unidentified people could have added poisonous substances to her cosmetics,” the service said on Tuesday.

The management of the colony carried out a relevant check and denied allegations that unauthorized people visited the secure territory of the hospital.

In addition, samples of the ex-premier’s cosmetics were passed for checks to experts of Kharkiv-based forensic research institute.

“The expert conclusion dated January 5 says that the checked cosmetics contained no toxic metals, including barium, lead, cadmium, arsenic, thallium, mercury, bismuth, and zinc. Thus, the conclusion of the forensic research institute and the results of the check conducted by Kachanivska Penal Colony confirm that convict Tymoshenko’s suspicions and accusations of threats to her life and health are groundless,” the service said.

In addition, the penitentiary service said that Tymoshenko was allowed “as an exception” to talk to her relatives by phone. The phone conversation lasted for about an hour, reads the statement.

On October 11, 2011, Pechersky District Court in Kyiv sentenced Tymoshenko to seven years in prison for overstepping her authority when signing 2009 gas contracts with Russia. She has served her sentence in Kachanivska Penal Colony in Kharkiv since late December 2011.

On May 9, 2012, Tymoshenko was transferred to Central Clinical Hospital No. 5 in Kharkiv to undergo a course of treatment.