Oppressive can be a finicky term, but is there any doubt that Yanukovych is rotten to the core? Though a government in Ukraine of any kind that is not mired in overt corruption is hard to imagine.
Tymoshenko is more corrupt, when compared to Yanukovych.
The EU has only applied soft pressure, by offering a trade (and implied association deal) with Ukraine, whereas Russia is using Ukraine's reliance on Russian gas to force their hand. A deal with the EU would still leave the Ukraine free to deal with Russia, but a deal with Russia would not make the country free to deal with the EU.
As I said, I don't agree with what Washington is doing, but the Kremlin is just as bad...if not worse.
There is nothing like
Soft Pressure. Both the sides are trying to force Ukraine to ally with them. The Western media however, would like to paint this as
blackmail by Putin, and
carrot and stick by the EU.