This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/world/europe/as-part-of-ukraine-deal-russia-to-free-imprisoned-ukraine-pilot.html

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
As Part of Ukraine Deal, Russia Is to Free Imprisoned Pilot, Poroshenko Says As Part of Ukraine Deal, Russia Is to Free Imprisoned Pilot, Poroshenko Says
(35 minutes later)
MOSCOW — Of the hundreds of prisoners of war captured during the nearly yearlong fighting in eastern Ukraine, only one was mentioned by name on the agenda of world leaders at peace talks in Minsk, Belarus: Nadiya V. Savchenko, a former lieutenant in the Ukrainian military, helicopter navigator and graduate of Ukraine’s Air Force Academy.MOSCOW — Of the hundreds of prisoners of war captured during the nearly yearlong fighting in eastern Ukraine, only one was mentioned by name on the agenda of world leaders at peace talks in Minsk, Belarus: Nadiya V. Savchenko, a former lieutenant in the Ukrainian military, helicopter navigator and graduate of Ukraine’s Air Force Academy.
Ms. Savchenko, 33, is not being held in eastern Ukraine by Russian-backed separatists. She is in a Moscow prison, charged by Russia in connection with the killings of two Russian journalists who died in Ukraine last June while covering a war that the Kremlin has long insisted does not involve Russia or its military.Ms. Savchenko, 33, is not being held in eastern Ukraine by Russian-backed separatists. She is in a Moscow prison, charged by Russia in connection with the killings of two Russian journalists who died in Ukraine last June while covering a war that the Kremlin has long insisted does not involve Russia or its military.
As the leaders in Minsk announced on Thursday that they had reached a broad agreement for a cease-fire and weapons pullback in eastern Ukraine, there was also a specific proviso for Ms. Savchenko’s release. President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, for whom winning the pilot’s freedom had become a priority, announced the condition at a news conference and said there was a specific understanding that she would be freed.As the leaders in Minsk announced on Thursday that they had reached a broad agreement for a cease-fire and weapons pullback in eastern Ukraine, there was also a specific proviso for Ms. Savchenko’s release. President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, for whom winning the pilot’s freedom had become a priority, announced the condition at a news conference and said there was a specific understanding that she would be freed.
Mr. Poroshenko has publicly demanded that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia send Ms. Savchenko home, and in recent days he urged President François Hollande of France and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to help press Mr. Putin on the issue.Mr. Poroshenko has publicly demanded that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia send Ms. Savchenko home, and in recent days he urged President François Hollande of France and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, to help press Mr. Putin on the issue.
The Russian president refused to intervene, however, and this week a court in Moscow extended Ms. Savchenko’s detention until May 13. That prompted fresh outrage, including from the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, who posted on Twitter, “Russia has no right to hold her in 1st place.” The Russian president refused to intervene, however, and this week a court in Moscow extended Ms. Savchenko’s detention until May 13. That prompted new outrage, including from the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, who posted on Twitter, “Russia has no right to hold her in 1st place.”
Ms. Savchenko has been on a hunger strike in recent weeks, and she appeared gaunt at the hearing, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a multicolor version of the Ukrainian trident.Ms. Savchenko has been on a hunger strike in recent weeks, and she appeared gaunt at the hearing, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a multicolor version of the Ukrainian trident.
How Ms. Savchenko ended up in a Russian jail, facing charges by the Investigative Committee, the main national criminal investigations agency in Russia, is disputed.How Ms. Savchenko ended up in a Russian jail, facing charges by the Investigative Committee, the main national criminal investigations agency in Russia, is disputed.
When Ms. Savchenko was first detained in a prison in Voronezh, near the Ukrainian border, a spokesman for the Investigative Committee, Vladimir Markin, said she had been involved in attacks on Russian separatists in Luhansk, Ukraine, and in a battle near the town of Metallist where the Russian journalists were killed. She then voluntarily crossed into Russia, he said. Ms. Savchenko was first detained in a prison in Voronezh, near the Ukrainian border, because she had been involved in attacks on Russian separatists in Luhansk, Ukraine, and a battle near the town where the Russian journalists were killed, said Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Investigative Committee. She then crossed voluntarily into Russia, he said.
“It turned out that she crossed the Russian border without documents, posing as a refugee,” said Mr. Markin, adding that Ms. Savchenko was detained during a routine check of documents by the authorities.“It turned out that she crossed the Russian border without documents, posing as a refugee,” said Mr. Markin, adding that Ms. Savchenko was detained during a routine check of documents by the authorities.
The Ukrainian government said, however, that Ms. Savchenko was captured by rebel forces and then secretly transported to Russia.The Ukrainian government said, however, that Ms. Savchenko was captured by rebel forces and then secretly transported to Russia.
Nikolai Polozov, one of Ms. Savchenko's lawyers, said that his client had participated in the protests in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, last year that ousted the country’s president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, and that she had helped carry medicine to protesters wounded by gunfire. Nikolai Polozov, one of Ms. Savchenko’s lawyers, said that his client had participated in the protests in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, last year that ousted the country’s president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, and that she had helped carry medicine to protesters wounded by gunfire.
As war broke out in eastern Ukraine, Ms. Savchenko took leave several times from the army to travel to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Mr. Polozov said. In mid-June she ended up north of the separatist stronghold of Luhansk with the Aidar battalion, one of the hastily formed units of pro-Ukrainian volunteer fighters.As war broke out in eastern Ukraine, Ms. Savchenko took leave several times from the army to travel to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Mr. Polozov said. In mid-June she ended up north of the separatist stronghold of Luhansk with the Aidar battalion, one of the hastily formed units of pro-Ukrainian volunteer fighters.
On the morning that the two Russian journalists were killed, Mr. Polozov said, Ms. Savchenko was wounded in an artillery fight and she and several members of the Aidar battalion were captured. He said cellphone records proved that she was captured at least 30 minutes before the artillery strike that killed the journalists. On the morning that the two Russian journalists were killed, Mr. Polozov said, Ms. Savchenko was wounded in an artillery fight and she and several members of the Aidar battalion were captured. He said cellphone records proved that she was caught at least 30 minutes before the artillery strike that killed the journalists.
“The journalists who were killed clearly died without her help,” Mr. Polozov said.“The journalists who were killed clearly died without her help,” Mr. Polozov said.
He added that Ms. Savchenko was held for two weeks in a gymnasium somewhere in Luhansk before she was taken across the border and turned over to Russian authorities.He added that Ms. Savchenko was held for two weeks in a gymnasium somewhere in Luhansk before she was taken across the border and turned over to Russian authorities.
Even before the war, Ms. Savchenko was a national hero for being one of Ukraine’s first female combat pilots, and a documentary was made about her. She had combat experience in Iraq, where she served as a paratrooper with a Ukrainian contingent supporting the American-led war effort, and then used that experience to pressure the Ukrainian military into admitting her to the Ivan Kozhedub Air Force University in Kharkiv for pilot training.Even before the war, Ms. Savchenko was a national hero for being one of Ukraine’s first female combat pilots, and a documentary was made about her. She had combat experience in Iraq, where she served as a paratrooper with a Ukrainian contingent supporting the American-led war effort, and then used that experience to pressure the Ukrainian military into admitting her to the Ivan Kozhedub Air Force University in Kharkiv for pilot training.
She has been similarly steel-willed in prison, not only going on a hunger strike but repeatedly castigating the Russian government for her detention, at times insisting on speaking only Ukrainian in court.She has been similarly steel-willed in prison, not only going on a hunger strike but repeatedly castigating the Russian government for her detention, at times insisting on speaking only Ukrainian in court.
At one hearing, she used her opportunity to speak to address the television cameras more than the judge: “I’m tired of Russia’s lies, your deceitful judges and your dishonest media,” she said. At one hearing, she used a speaking opportunity to address the television cameras more than the judge. “I’m tired of Russia’s lies, your deceitful judges and your dishonest media,” she said.
Since her detention, she has been elected to the Ukrainian Parliament as a member of the Fatherland party, led by former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko. Last month, other lawmakers from the party wore T-shirts to Parliament that read, “Free Nadiya Savchenko.”Since her detention, she has been elected to the Ukrainian Parliament as a member of the Fatherland party, led by former Prime Minister Yulia V. Tymoshenko. Last month, other lawmakers from the party wore T-shirts to Parliament that read, “Free Nadiya Savchenko.”
As a result of the cease-fire agreement in Minsk, it seems that they will get their wish. Mr. Poroshenko said at the news conference that there was a provision for all prisoners of war to be set free within 19 days. As a result of the cease-fire agreement in Minsk, it seems that they might get their wish. Mr. Poroshenko said at the news conference that there was a provision for all prisoners of war to be set free within 19 days.
But Aleksei K. Pushkov, a prominent Russian lawmaker, cautioned that Ms. Savchenko’s release was not a foregone conclusion.But Aleksei K. Pushkov, a prominent Russian lawmaker, cautioned that Ms. Savchenko’s release was not a foregone conclusion.
Mr. Pushkov, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the lower house of Parliament, said that the charges against Ms. Savchenko were serious and that all legal procedures must be followed.Mr. Pushkov, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the lower house of Parliament, said that the charges against Ms. Savchenko were serious and that all legal procedures must be followed.
“There is no automatic mechanism to free a person accused of being accomplice to murder, in this case of a Russian journalist,” Mr. Pushkov said. The information on Ms. Savchenko’s case, he added, “requires confirmation, as far as this is a highly emotional topic.”“There is no automatic mechanism to free a person accused of being accomplice to murder, in this case of a Russian journalist,” Mr. Pushkov said. The information on Ms. Savchenko’s case, he added, “requires confirmation, as far as this is a highly emotional topic.”
Mark Feygin, another lawyer for Ms. Savchenko, said that officials in Minsk had told him that Mr. Poroshenko and Mr. Putin had come to an unwritten agreement on Ms. Savchenko’s release. Mr. Putin, who held a news conference in Minsk, did not address the case in his remarks. Mark Feygin, another lawyer for Ms. Savchenko, said that officials in Minsk had told him that Mr. Poroshenko and Mr. Putin had come to an unwritten agreement on Ms. Savchenko’s release. Mr. Putin, who held his own news conference in Minsk, did not address the case in his remarks.
As of Thursday afternoon, here was no indication of Ms. Savchenko’s release, Mr. Feygin said by telephone. “As long as Putin or someone trusted by him does not confirm this information, we can only speak about it theoretically,” he said. As of Thursday afternoon, there was no indication of Ms. Savchenko’s release, Mr. Feygin said by telephone. “As long as Putin or someone trusted by him does not confirm this information, we can only speak about it theoretically,” he said.