The Ukos Trial?
It has been noted at several points since his accession to power in January 2010 that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich is, from a geopolitical perspective, comfortably Kremlin-oriented, and from a domestic perspective, a zealous devoue of Putin’s authoritarian methods. An astute editorial in the FT today draws a comparison between the current court case against former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for abuse of power, and the Kremlin’s case against Yukos, which has come to represent the archetypal show trial à la Putin. Since the Tymoshenko trial began at the end of June it has prompted a flurry of complaints about what many view to be politically motivated charges trumped up by a vindictive political rival, the now President. Here’s the FT’s take: