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Yulia Tymoshenko to run for Ukraine leader | Yulia Tymoshenko to run for Ukraine leader |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said she plans to run for president of Ukraine in May elections. | Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said she plans to run for president of Ukraine in May elections. |
Ms Tymoshenko was released from prison in February after three years in jail following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych. | |
She has already served twice as prime minister and ran for president in 2010. | She has already served twice as prime minister and ran for president in 2010. |
She was a major figure in the 2004 "Orange Revolution" that ousted Mr Yanukovych from the presidency after an election widely seen as fraudulent. | |
'Direct action' | |
Ms Tymoshenko said she would stand as "a candidate for Ukrainian unity". | Ms Tymoshenko said she would stand as "a candidate for Ukrainian unity". |
She told reporters that she had earned the right to be considered a candidate who was against corruption. | She told reporters that she had earned the right to be considered a candidate who was against corruption. |
"My presidential campaign will be the campaign of direct action: no promises, but immediate actions, and then - in a couple of days - reporting on what's been done," she said. | |
She narrowly lost the 2010 presidential election to pro-Russian Mr Yanukovych. | |
She was imprisoned in 2011 for corruption linked to a gas deal she brokered with Russia as prime minister in 2009. | She was imprisoned in 2011 for corruption linked to a gas deal she brokered with Russia as prime minister in 2009. |
Her supporters say the case was politically motivated and instigated by Mr Yanukovych. | |
On Monday she denied the authenticity of a taped conversation in which she allegedly called for Russia to be turned into "scorched earth" and for ethnic Russians in Ukraine to be killed. | On Monday she denied the authenticity of a taped conversation in which she allegedly called for Russia to be turned into "scorched earth" and for ethnic Russians in Ukraine to be killed. |
Ms Tymoshenko said the recording, which featured prominently on Russian news reports, was produced by Russia's security services. | Ms Tymoshenko said the recording, which featured prominently on Russian news reports, was produced by Russia's security services. |
Former boxer Vitaliy Klitschko and chocolate tycoon Petro Poroshenko are also expected to take part in the presidential election. | Former boxer Vitaliy Klitschko and chocolate tycoon Petro Poroshenko are also expected to take part in the presidential election. |
Opinion polls suggest Mr Poroshenko, who is one of Ukraine's richest men, is currently the most popular candidate. | Opinion polls suggest Mr Poroshenko, who is one of Ukraine's richest men, is currently the most popular candidate. |
The election is expected to take place on 25 May. | The election is expected to take place on 25 May. |
Deadly protests | |
Also on Thursday, the International Monetary Fund said it had agreed to a loan deal with Ukraine worth $14bn to $18bn. | |
Ukraine's interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk earlier told parliament the country was on the ""on the edge of economic and financial bankruptcy". | |
More than 100 people were killed during protests which overthrew pro-Kremlin President Yanukovych in February. | More than 100 people were killed during protests which overthrew pro-Kremlin President Yanukovych in February. |
They followed months of street protests sparked by Mr Yanukovych's decision to reject a planned EU trade deal in favour of closer ties with Moscow. | They followed months of street protests sparked by Mr Yanukovych's decision to reject a planned EU trade deal in favour of closer ties with Moscow. |
Since then, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula, which last week voted to become part of the Russian federation. | Since then, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula, which last week voted to become part of the Russian federation. |
The West has widely condemned the move, with US President Barack Obama warning on Wednesday of further EU and US sanctions against Moscow if there were any further incursions. | |
Speaking after talks with EU leaders in Brussels, Mr Obama said Russians would "recognise that they cannot achieve security, prosperity and status...through brute force". | |
In other Ukraine developments: | In other Ukraine developments: |