Russia has added former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to its wanted list on unspecified criminal charges, according to reports from Russian state media. Tymoshenko joins other prominent Ukrainian figures, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former President Petro Poroshenko, on the list, which also includes officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and NATO countries.
Tymoshenko’s party, Batkivshchyna (the Fatherland), has not yet commented on the news. Additionally, Prime Minister of NATO and EU member Estonia, Kaja Kallas, is also on the list due to Estonia’s efforts to remove Soviet-era monuments. Russia has laws criminalizing the “rehabilitation of Nazism,” which includes punishing the “desecration” of war memorials.
Other individuals on Russia’s wanted list include cabinet ministers from Estonia and Lithuania, as well as the International Criminal Court prosecutor who prepared a war crimes warrant for President Vladimir Putin last year. Russia has also charged the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence with “terrorist” activities, including drone strikes on Russian infrastructure.
The move by Russia to add Tymoshenko to its wanted list reflects the ongoing tensions between the two countries and the broader geopolitical implications in the region. Tymoshenko’s inclusion on this list is likely to further strain relations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as with NATO members who have been targeted by Russian actions.
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