Yulia Tymoshenko. Why they imprisoned and how they released the "gas princess"

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Yulia Tymoshenko can hardly be called an inexperienced politician, although the phrases uttered by her sometimes baffle interviewers with their low culture. She has her own electorate, and, creating an image, she strives to correspond to his ideas of how the spokesman for the interests of this part of Ukrainian society should look like.

Long history

In March 1995, the charter plane, on which the "gas princess" was flying, made an emergency landing in Zaporozhye, not reaching Dnepropetrovsk, the airport of which was not accepted due to weather conditions. Customs, after searching the plane, found a large amount of foreign currency, and the Timoshenkos had to spend a couple of nights in the prison of this city, until they were rescued by Pavel Ivanovich Lazarenko, a great family friend and prime minister. Soon the Unified Energy Systems of Ukraine was created - a corporation that absorbed the entire gas market. It is difficult to take into account how many billions of dollars this structure has withdrawn from the country, and no one sets such a task today.

Afterinitiation of a criminal case against Lazarenko, his right hand, Yulia Tymoshenko, was also arrested. Why was the head of the UESU imprisoned in 2001? The answer to this question should be sought in the case of the ex-premier, who languished in American dungeons for many years. The couple were connected by common business interests, and the fact that the assistant was only following instructions does not in any way justify her.

Tymoshenko and Yushchenko

In 2005, Tymoshenko was removed from her post as prime minister, she could not find a common language with Viktor Yushchenko, who owed her victory in the Orange Revolution to a large extent. At that time, many perceived this step of the President of Ukraine as black ingratitude.

Further oppositional struggle of the ex-premier consisted mainly in criticism of the pro-Russian actions of the government formed by Viktor Yanukovych, its main leitmotif was the line on all-round Ukrainization and the course towards European integration, associated by part of the electorate with independence. Calls for strengthening national cohesion were heard from the prison walls.

Since 2005, Tymoshenko has repeatedly expressed disagreement with the legal side of natural gas supplies to Ukraine. The intermediary company through which the purchases took place was called RosUkrEnergo and belonged to three owners: Gazprom (50%) from the Russian side and Firtash (45%) with Fursin (5%) from the Ukrainian side. For some reason, President Yushchenko lobbied for such an order of trade relations, and on this basis, hethere was a conflict with the prime minister. This situation lasted until 2008, when Naftogaz Ukrainy became the direct buyer. This happened due to the failure of RosUkrEnergo to pay the debt for 4 billion cubic meters of gas received at the end of 2007.

Everyone ran away - she works

Interesting is the position of President Viktor Yushchenko, who gave a direct order to curtail all negotiations, not to sign a new contract, and thereby called into question the economic security of the country. In October 2008, with a debt of $2.2 billion and no agreements, the prospect of a complete shutdown of Ukraine's gas supply was quite real. The signing of the contract was scheduled for the last day of 2008. All leaders of the country pulled away from the conflict. The opposition of the Ukrainian establishment to direct deliveries without intermediaries was also noted by the Russian side. As a result, the valve has been closed since January 1, 2009.

Signing and terms of the contract

On January 18, the memorandum was nevertheless signed. On the Russian side, V. V. Putin participated in its adoption, and on the Ukrainian side, Yulia Timoshenko. Why was she imprisoned, taking upon herself the responsibility of negotiating with Moscow, while the rest of the leadership was resting, celebrating the New Year and Christmas? The reason was found. The conditions were recognized as onerous, and the price - unprecedentedly high (up to $376 per 1000 cubic meters).

The criminal case was opened during the reign of President Yushchenko, so its furtherconsideration already under Yanukovych cannot be qualified as a political reprisal against a patriot, perpetrated by the “pro-Kremlin” regime. From the point of view of the interests of the Russian Federation, it is difficult to overestimate the service rendered to Moscow by Yulia Timoshenko. The term of imprisonment imposed as punishment was seven years.

During her detention, the famous prisoner was almost constantly in the hospital. Some leaked information suggests that she simply feigned a serious illness.

Given all the circumstances under which the signing of gas agreements took place, it would be difficult to indicate what Tymoshenko was imprisoned for. Yulia Vladimirovna flew to Moscow for the reason that no one else could or did not want to do this. Ukrainian-Russian relations have stalled due to the inconsistent and hostile policies pursued by the Yushchenko administration, the constant threats of the country's entry into NATO and the rejection of good neighborly relations. Even if Viktor Andreevich had risked flying to Belokamennaya for talks, both Putin and Medvedev would hardly have talked to him, let alone any success. It was also not necessary to expect that the valve would open by itself. Only Yulia Tymoshenko could somehow resolve the situation. Why did they put her first at the negotiating table, and then in the Kachanovsky correctional colony? Was she a political prisoner? Could it have been done differently? Many questions, few answers.

Dayrelease

But nothing lasts forever. Another Maidan, which happened in Kyiv in 2013, brought to power representatives of the Batkivshchyna party, whose leader is Yulia Tymoshenko. For what the ex-premier was imprisoned, it doesn’t matter now, from the very first days of the confrontation he actively supported the pro-European movement, calling on the rebels to fight to the end from behind bars, not sparing their own lives. And those war cries were heard.

Yulia Tymoshenko was released on February 22, 2014, immediately after Yanukovych's flight from Ukraine. The return was triumphant and was accompanied by picturesque uplifting of hands, rolling eyes and posing with a crutch propping up legs weakened from constant lying, shod in high-heeled shoes. At the reception at the American embassy, there was a general healing, although it was short-lived and obviously explained by the special miraculous atmosphere of this institution.

Despite the fact that now nothing prevents the investigation of the crimes of the "bloody regime of Yanukovych", the new revolutionary authorities are in no hurry to deal with the circumstances of the case in which Yulia Tymoshenko was convicted. What they imprisoned her for is now unimportant, but the main contender for the presidential mace, Petro Poroshenko, has already politely asked the rebellious lady not to deprive him of part of the voters. He believes that if the forces that call themselves democratic come up with one candidate, then victory can be won in the first round. Klitschko agreed. Lady Yu could not be persuaded.