Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko hasn't been brought to Kyiv Court of Appeals, which has started preliminary hearing of an appeal against a Pechersky District Court's ruling sentencing her to seven years in prison.

Tymoshenko's defense team announced earlier that Tymoshenko wouldn't attend the preliminary hearing due to health problems.

The law does not require that a defendant be present at a preliminary hearing of his or her appeal.