Ukraine opens new criminal case against former PM Tymoshenko

The Ukranian Security Service has opened a new criminal case against imprisoned former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko over alleged embezzlement when she led an energy company in the 1990s. Ivan Derevianko, head of the main investigation department of the SSU, told reporters Thursday that Tymoshenko, "as president and de facto owner" of United Energy Systems of Ukraine, is suspected of embezzling an estimated 405 million dollars. Tymoshenko is accused of reassigning a debt of 405.5 million dollars -- owed by her company to the Russian Defense Ministry -- to the Ukranian budget and then transferring the money to herself and former Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko. Derevyanko said that a criminal probe was also opened against Lazarenko, who was prime minister in the late 1990s and an ally of Tymoshenko. Lazarenko is now in detention in the United States after being convicted of embezzlement and money laundering in 2006. The new case against Tymoshenko was opened Wednesday, one day after she was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of abuse of power.