Blog Archive

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

Nadiya Savchenko: Russia frees Ukraine servicewoman

Nadiya Savchenko (centre) talks to crowd at Kiev's Boryspil airport. Photo: 25 May 2016Russia has freed jailed Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who became a symbol of resistance against Moscow.
"I am free," Savchenko told a crowd of reporters and politicians as she arrived in Kiev as part of a prisoner swap with two alleged Russian soldiers.
She was sentenced to 22 years in jail for killing two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine, charges she denied.
The two Russians - Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov - were earlier flown from Kiev to Moscow.
Savchenko was pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin before her return to Ukraine.
Mr Putin said he had acted after meeting relatives of the two Russian journalists, who had asked him to show mercy to Savchenko.
In Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko pardoned the two Russian nationals.
In a tweet (in Ukrainian) earlier on Wednesday, Mr Poroshenko wrote: "The presidential plane with Hero of Ukraine Nadiya Savchenko has landed!"

No comments:

Post a Comment