The Kremlin must free Nadia Savchenko

Ukrainian MPs voted on January 13 to pass an appeal to Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, President of France Francois Hollande, and President of Russia Vladimir Putin, as well as an appeal to the PACE, both calling for pilot Nadia Savchenko to be freed from detention in Russia. The relevant resolutions were passed by 304 and 306 votes respectively.

When voting on the appeals, all the members rose from their seats in solidarity with Savchenko, while her fellow Fatherland caucus members and Speaker Volodymyr Hroisman urged her to stop the hunger strike, which has become a health risk for the Ukrainian pilot.

“She is totally adamant in spirit. As for vital functions, everything is fine so far, I mean body temperature, blood sugar, and blood pressure,” Savchenko’s sister Vira revealed to The Day. She said that Savchenko’s protest was not designed to impact Russian policy, but rather that of Ukraine and the international community. “This is the only form of protest available to her now. She plans to continue the hunger strike until January 26 at least, but I do not really believe that they will release her on that day, perhaps they will do so later,” Vira Savchenko said. “The Verkhovna Rada’s appeal makes a very important point that should be heard in Ukraine, Russia and all other foreign countries. This tool should not be ignored. I am grateful to the MPs for it. It looks like they have some rudiments of chivalry left,” she summed up.