KIEV, May 16 – The defense of Batkivschyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko will appeal to the Court of Appeals against a ruling of Pechersky District Court of Kiev declaring lawful an instruction of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine on the opening of a criminal case against her on gas contracts of 2009.

"Of course we have to go this way. We will appeal as soon as possible," Tymoshenko's lawyer Serhiy Vlasenko said, and added that the defense is planning to appeal on Tuesday.