Ukraine Opposition Includes Tymoshenko On Election List

A Tymoshenko supporter in Kyiv on July 12

Ukraine's united opposition has included jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and jailed former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko on its list of candidates for parliament in the elections scheduled for October 28.

The two politicians were added to the list during the opposition congress held in Kyiv on July 30, the official start of the election campaign.

Tymoshenko is serving a seven-year sentence on abuse of power charges, which she was convicted of committing while she was prime minister.

She is also facing a second trial involving allegations that she avoided paying millions of U.S. dollars in taxes in connection with a private energy company she headed in the 1990s.

Lutsenko is serving a four-year prison-term on charges of embezzlement and abuse of office.

The two politicians’ supporters say their cases are politically motivated.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax