Sergiy Vlasenko

A Ukraine court on Wednesday ruled to strip Sergei Vlasenko, a leading defender of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko, of his mandate in the parliament in a decision likely to estrange it further from the West.

The daughter of Ukraine's jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko Monday accused the authorities of wanting to kill her mother, who faces a possible life sentence.

Ukraine faced a global backlash Tuesday over elections won by the ruling party that the West called a step backwards for democracy and saw jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko launch a protest hunger strike.

The United States and international observers said Ukraine's elections were a step backwards for democracy as the ruling party was set to win against allies of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko.

Ukraine's ruling party was set Monday to beat the allies of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko in legislative elections that observers condemned as a setback for the ex-Soviet state's nascent democracy.

Ukraine on Wednesday rejected jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal of her abuse of power conviction despite threats of estrangement from Western powers that view the case as political revenge.

A high court in Ukraine Thursday began hearing the appeal of opposition leader and ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko against her jailing on abuse of power charges the West says are politically motivated.

Ukraine's high court on Tuesday postponed the appeal of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko against her seven-year jail term for abuse of power until after the end of its hosting of Euro 2012 football.

Ukraine's High Court on Tuesday postponed the appeal of ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko against her seven year jail sentence until well after the Euro 2012 football tournament gets under way, to the fury of her defence.

Ukraine on Wednesday moved jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko from prison to hospital in a bid to defuse a growing diplomatic crisis that threatens to overshadow the Euro 2012 football.

Supporters of Ukraine's jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Monday expressed grave concern for her health after a leaked medical report said she required urgent hospitalisation.

Ukraine has charged jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko with a number of financial crimes, the tax office said Friday, further denting Kiev's hopes of joining the European Union.

KIEV (Reuters) - Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko used a pre-trial hearing Friday to allege President Viktor Yanukovich was behind a crooked court action that was certain to convict her of abuse of power.