Ukrainian police have arrested former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko for violating court procedures during her abuse of power trial.

A judge in Kiev accused Ms. Tymoshenko Friday of systematically disrupting the trial. She was then handcuffed and taken away by several officers.

Ms. Tymoshenko is Ukraine's top opposition leader and has mocked the judge during the trial.

She is accused of overstepping her authority as prime minister in 2009 by orchestrating a natural gas deal with Russia that lost several million dollars.

She says she is not guilty of the charges.

The European Union opposed Ms. Tymoshenko's arrest and has condemned the case against her as being politically motivated because she is an opposition leader.

The judge did say when her trial will resume.