Ukraine's prime minister has postponed Friday's scheduled visit to Russia, one day after Russia's top prosecutor said Moscow is still pursuing a bribery case against her.
Russia's Interfax news agency quoted a top Ukrainian official, Deputy Prime Minister Mykola Tomenko as saying Yulia Tymoshenko postponed her trip because of urgent social and economic problems in Ukraine. The agency quoted him as saying the change is not directly connected with the Russian comments.
But another top official, Economy Minister Serhiy Terokhin accused Russia of starting an international scandal.
Tuesday, Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov said Moscow is continuing the case against Ms. Tymoshenko, but that her visit would proceed in accordance with international rules. He had previously said she would not be arrested if she entered Russia.
Russian authorities have accused Ms. Tymoshenko of bribing Russian officials during business dealings in the 1990s a charge she denies and calls politically motivated.