EU warns Ukraine over Yulia Tymoshenko jailing
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The EU has warned Ukraine of "profound implications" over the jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton labelled the trial "politically motivated" and said the union would "reflect on its policies" towards Kiev.
Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years for acting beyond her powers in sealing a gas deal with Russia in 2009.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who signed the deal, said he could not understand the court's verdict.
"It is dangerous and counterproductive to cast the entire package of agreements into doubt," said Mr Putin.
Russia's foreign ministry had earlier said the ruling had a "clear anti-Russian subtext".
The judge ruled that Tymoshenko had "used her powers for criminal ends" by pushing Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz into a deal with Russia's Gazprom.
'Regrettable' case
Several other European countries were scathing about the sentencing, Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt labelling it a "political show-trial".
Rights watchdog the Council of Europe accused Ukraine of "criminalisation of political decision-taking", while Amnesty International demanded that Tymoshenko be set free.
Continue reading the main story At the scene Even before the judge had finished his verdict, Yulia Tymoshenko stood up to denounce what he'd done. She said she would continue to fight on and urged her supporters to fight on, and promised that they would one day achieve a free, European, democratic Ukraine. As she was led from court, her supporters cried "shame, shame" from the back of the court. As we came out of court 15 minutes later we walked out on to one of Kiev's main streets and there were file upon file of riot police standing alongside her supporters, who were playing music through loudspeakers and chanting political slogans. There have been confrontations, but so far they have been minor. Mrs Tymoshenko can appeal against the sentence, but it will be a long, tedious process to take it to the next level. And during that time she will still be in prison.
Baroness Ashton, who has been involved in negotiating a free-trade deal with Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych, said the trial "did not respect international standards".
"This unfortunately confirms that justice is being applied selectively in politically motivated prosecutions of the leaders of the opposition and members of the former government," she said.
Analysts say the jailing of Tymoshenko has threatened to torpedo the free-trade deal, which was due to begin in December.
Tymoshenko's supporters say Mr Yanukovych orchestrated the trial to get rid of his bitter political rival.
The president had been under pressure from Western governments and rights groups to downgrade the charges against Tymoshenko to administrative offences rather than criminal.
In comments after the sentencing, Mr Yanukovych said he understood the reaction to the "regrettable" case, adding that Tuesday's verdict was not final.
"There is the court of appeal ahead and what decision it will take and under which legislation has great importance," he said.
Hundreds of Tymoshenko supporters gathered outside the court to wait for Judge Rodion Kireyev's verdict, some getting into scuffles with security forces.
He jailed her for seven years and banned her from political office for three years.
He also ordered her to pay back 1.5bn hrivnas ($186m; £119m) he said had been lost by Naftogaz as a result of the deal she signed.
Allies no more
Russia pipes gas to Western Europe across Ukrainian territory and relations between the two ex-Soviet states have long been dogged by disputes over transit fees and unpaid bills.
Continue reading the main story The gas deal Ten-year contract signed between Ukraine and Russia in January 2009
Investigators said Mrs Tymoshenko did not have cabinet approval to sign
They say the price Ukraine agreed to pay was too high, damaging state gas company Naftogaz and Ukraine's economy
As the verdict was read out over several hours, Tymoshenko stared at her iPad, apparently not listening to the judge.
She has been in custody for contempt of court since 5 August.
Tymoshenko was the heroine of the Western-leaning Orange Revolution - the sudden street protests that erupted after a fraudulent presidential election in 2004.
She was made prime minister shortly afterwards.
But the next few years saw the reform movement stagnate.
Tymoshenko fell out with her Orange allies, and their constant bickering paralysed the country just as it was facing a deep economic crisis.
In 2010, Tymoshenko was forced into opposition as Mr Yanukovych rose to power.
Some of her former Orange allies - including former President Viktor Yushchenko - testified against her in the court case.
Archivo:Yulia Tymoshenko, 2010.JPG|thumb|left|Yulia Timoshenko.


Yulia Timoshenko, exprimera ministra de Ucrania, ha sido condenada a siete años de prisión por abuso de poder durante su gobierno en la firma de un contrato de importación de gas ruso en 2009.

Además deberá pagar alrededor de 200 millones de dólares por los daños ocasionados y alejarse de la política por 10 años. Estados Unidos y Rusia han mostrado su rechazo a la sentencia de Yulia Timoshenko, una de las principales referentes de la oposición en Ucrania.

Cientos de seguidores acamparon al frente de la corte de Kiev para demostrar su apoyo a Timoshenko, además de expresar que Yanukovych, el actual presidente de Ucrania, organizó el juicio para deshacerse de su rival política, quien llegó al poder luego de protagonizar la Revolución Naranja.

Timoshenko expresó: