Corruption Ukraine: Veteran politician Yulia Tymoshenko charged in bribery case

One time prime minster and former leader of Ukraine’s orange revolution, Yulia Tymochemko, had bee charged for bribery, her offices being raided.

Tymochenko has been charged with offering bribes to members of parliament, a spokesperson for the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) said. SAPO is one of the independent, Western controlled, anti-corruption agencies with which Ukraine’s Western donors have control on Ukraine’s spending and politics.

Tymochenko published a message saying that “it seems the elections are much closer than they appeared, and someone has decided to start clearing out the competition.”

Indeed, Tymochenko and her party, while supporting the regime’s general policies have opposed recently to some appointments, such as for the post of Energy Minister, the predecessor resigned after a scandalous corruption probe. There will be an upcoming political fight leading to the next elections but it is clear from today that the decision will be made by Ukraine’s Western sponsors.

Tymochenko was a star in the West as she was considered a political victim of the previous Yanukovich regime that jailed her for corruption and theft of state assets – but upon her release she was celebrated by Western supporters. Now, it seems, her political engagement is not welcome and her strategy to criticize and expose the corrupt Selensky regime is not accepted by Europe.