- Title: UKRAINE-CRISIS/PILOT-RALLY Ukrainians pray for jailed pilot Nadezhda Savchenko
- Date: 1st March 2015
- Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MAN AND WOMAN RELEASING DOVES / DOVES FLYING (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) SAVCHENKO'S SISTER, VERA SAVCHENKO, SAYING: "Physically she is in fact in a very bad state and she understands it. She has constant stomach aches. To treat the pain she has taken some chemical cocktail. She has problems with her gallbladder, it has shrunk. She keep
- Embargoed: 16th March 2015 12:00
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- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABE74DNKB3CZ1KT99O6SERSQF4
- Story Text: Large crowds rallied in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday (March 1) in support of Ukrainian military pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, who has been on hunger strike for more than two months in a Russian jail.
Savchenko was captured by pro-Russian forces and handed over eight months ago to Russia, where she was imprisoned on charges of aiding the killing of two Russian journalists in east Ukraine. At home, she has become a symbol of resistance to Russian aggression.
Flag waving demonstrators in Kiev held a special prayer for the 33 year old pilot, holding posters that read: "Nadia, we are you, Freedom for Nadia" and "Savchenko is Ukraine! Putin cannot break Ukraine".
Kiev resident Liudmila told Reuters Television Savchenko's freedom had become a national battle.
"It is very symbolic to me. Nadezhda is like Ukraine - they want to destroy her but we are fighting till our last breath. So freedom for Nadezhda. Nadezhda is Ukraine," she said.
Demonstrators appealed for Savchenko's release, saying her health would deteriorate as result of her ongoing hunger strike.
Two German doctors visited her on Feb. 15, then held talks with her prison doctors, in which Savchenko was included.
Savchenko has been reported as having lost 17 kg (37 lb) since going on a water and glucose diet in December.
Her sister, Vera Savchenko, who attended the rally on Sunday, said she was concerned for her sibling.
"Physically she is in fact in a very bad state and she understands it. She has constant stomach aches. To treat the pain she has taken some chemical cocktail. She has problems with her gallbladder, it has shrunk. She keeps feeling cold as she did before. Her weight is 55 kilograms. The hardest thing now is to keep her blood sugar level. She is allowed to drink tea now, not green but only black. She will continue the hunger strike," added Vera Savchenko.
Savchenko's mother also attended the rally, bursting into tears at one point. Fatherland Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko could be seen embracing and comforting Savchenko's mother.
Russia's Investigative Committee says the pilot provided the coordinates of two Russian journalists who were killed by a mortar attack in June in the Luhansk region of east Ukraine, held by pro-Russian rebels. She denies the accusation, but could be jailed for up to 20 years if found guilty. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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