Tymoshenko's COVID-19 diagnosis drew attention in Ukraine in August 2020
A look back at reports on the former prime minister's illness and at Hungary's border plans, as the pandemic spread across the region.
What was known on 25 August 2020 about the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine and its neighbourhood? Reports from the preceding days pointed to two developments.
On 23 August 2020, former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko was reported to be in serious condition after testing positive for COVID-19. The information came from one of her party's spokespeople, and the reports described her state as serious.
Two days earlier, on 21 August 2020, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced on state radio that Hungary would tighten its border crossing rules on 1 September. He said the aim was to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as the number of new infections was rising in neighbouring countries.
Taken together, the reports showed the pandemic touching both public figures and border policy in the region in late August 2020.
