Tymoshenko officially begins 7-year prison term

KIEV, Ukraine, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Ex-Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been moved from a detention center at a Kharkov penitentiary to a general ward to begin serving a prison term.

The Ukrainian Penitentiary Service said the move Thursday marks the official start of Tymoshenko's seven-year prison sentence, ITAR-Tass reported.

Tymoshenko, who served as prime minister from December 2007 to March 2010, was sentenced to seven years in prison in October for abuse of office in the 2009 signing of Russian gas contracts. She was also fined $200 million.

Her conviction has been condemned as politically motivated by the United States, the European Union and human rights groups.