Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted a nationwide opinion poll during the period of February 10-19, 2012. 2029 respondents were interviewed; the survey covered all regions of Ukraine, Crimea and Kyiv; sample was random and representative for the population of Ukraine aged 18 years and older.

Statistical sampling error (with a probability of 0.95 and a design-effect 1.5) does not exceed 3.3% for index close to 50%, 2,8% - index close to 25%, 2,0% - index close to 10%, 1 4% - index close to 5%. 

The survey conducted by Levada-Center, is representative of the adult population of Russian Federation, and was held in August 2011. 1600 respondents aged 18 years and older and living in 127 settlements participated in the present study. 

Imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Prime Minister of Ukraine, calls attention of the general public, not only in Ukraine but also outside our country. The survey conducted by KIIS showed that only 11% of citizens of Ukraine do not have any thoughts on this.

•  The largest share of respondents - 39% - believe that Yulia Tymoshenko ended up in jail because of her political activities,

•  26% believe that Yulia Tymoshenko was jailed for criminal offenses

•  25% of respondents believe that Yulia Tymoshenko got in prison due to her political and criminal activities.

•  Thus, almost two-thirds of respondents - 64% - do not exclude political reasons of detention of Yulia Tymoshenko, and, at the same time, nearly half of voters - 51% - do not exclude the presence of criminal reasons.

When compared with November 2011, the number of those who believe that the sentence of Y. Tymoshenko was caused by both criminal and political activities increased (25% in February vs. 19% in November). The number of those who failed to answer the question about the causes of Yulia Tymoshenko’s imprisonment decreased (16% in November vs. 11% in February). The number of those who believe that the sentence of Y. Tymoshenko had to do purely with her political activities has not statistically significantly changed (39% in February to 38% in November), the same did the number of those who believe that the reason of detention of Y. Tymoshenko is criminal offenses (26% in February to 27% in November).

There is observed clear differentiation in attitude towards the causes of imprisonment of former Prime Minister depending on the region and the political preferences of voters.

•  In the Western and Central regions [1] the number of those who believe that Yulia Tymoshenko ended up in jail for her political activities is much bigger that number of those who believe that Yulia Tymoshenko was imprisoned for her criminal offenses: 51% vs. 9 % in the Western region, and 52% vs. 14% in the Central area.

•  In the Southern and Eastern regions, on the contrary, the number of those who believe that Yulia Tymoshenko is jailed for criminal offenses is much bigger than number of those who think that she is imprisoned for her political activity: 40% vs. 25% in the South and 42% vs. 24% in the Eastern region.

• The biggest number of voters who believe that Tymoshenko was jailed for her criminal offenses, are found among supporters of the Party of Regions (59%) and the Communist Party of Ukraine (48%).

•  The vast majority of supporters of Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (83%) and the vast majority of supporters of the "Front of Changes" (53%) believe that the reason for detention of Yulia Tymoshenko is her political activity.

According to the Levada Center data obtained in August 2011 the number of those who support the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko was twice as big as number of those who are negative about this fact: 40% vs. 20%; all others are not able to define their attitude towards Yulia Tymoshenko in prison.

Application

The question concerning the causes of imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko was designed as follows: "Do you believe Yulia Tymoshenko was thrown into jail for her criminal offenses or for her political activities?" The distribution of answers to this question in Ukraine in general and in the four regions are shown in Table 1 (percentage of the adult population aged 18 years and older).

If we take into account potential voters of just seven highest-rated political forces, the distribution of interpretations of sentence of Yulia Tymoshenko will look as follows:

• 43% of these voters mark purely political reasons for the detention;

• 31% of respondents believe in criminal cause of Yulia Tymoshenko’s inprisonment;

• 17% of respondents indicate two reasons: both criminally and politically motivated imprisonment;

• 8% of respondents were undecided.

•  About 1% refused to answer this question.