1984, Tymoshenko graduated from the Department of Economics of Dnepropetrovsky University, and subsequently obtained a doctorate in economics. Since then, she has written 50 papers. Tymoshenko is also a student of Ukraine National University of Mining and Technology, but she didn't get a degree.
1984 After graduation, Tymoshenko worked as an engineering economist in dnipropetrovsk Machine Factory until 1988.
1989, as one of the "economic reform" actions, Tymoshenko established and led the Soviet Communist Youth League movie rental chain (which developed quite successfully) and then privatized it.
Tymoshenko is the general manager of Ukrainian oil company. The company supplies petroleum products to agricultural enterprises in dnipropetrovsk from 199 1 to 1995.
From 1995 to 1997, Tymoshenko served as the president of Ukraine United Energy System, a private intermediary company, which became the main importer of natural gas from Ukraine to Russia on 1996. During this period, she was called "natural gas princess" because of selling a lot of stolen natural gas and avoiding taxes. She was also accused of "giving kickbacks to pavlo lazarenko in exchange for her company's control of the country's natural gas supply". During this period, she established business relations (whether cooperative or hostile) with many important people in Ukraine, including pavlo lazarenko, victor Pinchuk, Ihor Colomo Isky, Rinat Akmetov and then Ukrainian President Kuchma. Except Akmetov, all these people are from dnipropetrovsk like Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko also has close relations with the management of Gazprom.
Tymoshenko said that she gained a lot of wealth from 1990 to 1998. It happened to be a period of privatization, which historians called a period of corruption and mismanagement-she became one of the richest oligarchs in Ukraine.