Ukraine's ex-PM confined to Kiev in criminal probe

Ukraine’s former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, was Wednesday placed under investigation for abuse of power and ordered not to leave the capital Kiev. She is accused of misspending money Ukraine received from selling greenhouse emission quotas under the Kyoto protocol.

Reuters/Alexander Prokopenko/Yulia Tymoshenko Press Service

"I have just learnt from an investigator that a criminal probe has been started against me personally because ostensibly environmental money during the crisis was spent on pensions," she said, adding that formal charges had not yet been brought against her because her lawyer was not present.

She said the 320 million euros in question is intact. Misappropriating funds carries a sentence of between seven and 10 years.

Tymoshenko is expected to go for further questioning on Monday. She lost a presidential election in February to Victor Yanukovych. Since then, she has accused Yanukovych of trying to silence her and often criticised his policies.