Is Nadiya Savchenko Guilty?

[mendeleyev]

We should know the answer to that question soon. The court began reading the prosecution's case, a first step before announcing a verdict.

From the Mendeleyev Journal...


(Photo: YouTube)

The case against 34-year old Ukrainian military pilot Nadiya Savchenko (Надія Савченко in Ukrainian) is one of confusion. Today, a judge in the case began reading the prosecution's summary, a preliminary step before announcing a verdict. Russian legal experts say that a verdict is imminent.

Savchenko has been charged in the deaths of two Russian reporters with state owned VGTRK television who died while in the south-east of Ukraine where Russian rebels were fighting anti-terror units of the Ukrainian military and Russian prosecutors claim that she gave coordinates for mortar fire that allegedly killed the journalists.

On 17 June 2014 the two Russian journalists, Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin, were killed while filming a battle in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. At the time of the battle the rebel combatants, and the journalists themselves, reported that there were mines along the road on which their unit was fighting.

Savchenko, a 10 year veteran, had previously served in Iraq and had joined the Aidar Battalion, a volunteer unit of Ukraine's anti-terror mission. She was captured near the town of Schastya in Ukraine's Luhansk region, a territory occupied by pro-Russian forces.

Two days after her capture, rebel forces released a video of her interrogation although the location was undisclosed. During that interview she was shown handcuffed to metal pipes. A day later, a member of the pro-Russian rebel government, Vladimir Gromov, assured reporters that Savchenko was being well treated. Several days later, on 22 June, reporters were told that she had been moved to the rebel held territory of Donetsk.


(Ukrainian poster calls for Savchenko's freedom.)

Negotiations between the Ukrainian Government and rebel forces were unsuccessful and on 8 July there were reports that Savchenko had been moved across the border to a detention facility near Voronezh (Russia). While imprisoned in Voronezh, local authorities charged her with murder of the two Russian journalists, and with entering Russia illegally. The charges came despite Russian television (NTV channel) newscasts reporting that Savchenko had been captured in rebel territory, and was being turned over to prosecutors in Russia.

In spite of multiple reports on Russian television that she had been captured by Russian rebels, and held in occupied Ukraine while negotiations were held for her release, Russian authorities claim that somehow Savchenko slipped across the border and into Russia on her own initiative.

Once charged, she was moved from Voronezh to a prison near Moscow. Savchenko's trial was much like other politically charged proceedings in Russian courts. Despite RF Constitutional guarantees, her defense lawyers were denied the opportunity to present evidence of her innocence, nor did the court allow her lawyers to question those involved in her capture.

International representatives from Ukraine, the USA, Canada, the UK, Poland, Austria, Romania, Spain, Latvia, Slovakia, Norway, France, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden were present in the courtroom as a sign of solidarity against her imprisonment.

[BillyB]

If she was involved in the deaths of two anti Putin reporters, she's innocent but if she's involved in the deaths of two pro Putin reporters, she's guilty. That's how it works over there, right?

[Anotherkiwi]

Savchenko has been charged in the deaths of two Russian reporters with state owned VGTRK television who died while in the south-east of Ukraine where Russian rebels were fighting anti-terror units of the Ukrainian military and Russian prosecutors claim that she gave coordinates for mortar fire that allegedly killed the journalists.

On 17 June 2014 the two Russian journalists, Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin, were killed while filming a battle in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. At the time of the battle the rebel combatants, and the journalists themselves, reported that there were mines along the road on which their unit was fighting.

"They were killed filming a battle." Surely they were not complete morons?  People get hurt in battles - some people get killed.  It's called war - what did they expect?  That mortars fired from some distance away could tell the difference between them and rebel soldiers, and would change course accordingly to make sure that they weren't hit?  Or that the rebel soldiers would somehow be able to protect them from potential harm?

How many journalists/reporters/cameramen (and women) have died in battles over the years?  All of them would have gone in with their eyes open, knowing that there was a real possibility that they might be injured or killed.  Why should these two be so different that a soldier on the other side should be charged with their murder (or manslaughter, or whatever the Russian charge is equivalent to)?

[mendeleyev]

The Ukrainian military pilot who was captured in Ukrainian rebel-held territory, and then spirited across the border by her captors, has been convicted by a Russian court in the deaths of two Russian journalists.
Reports during the battle in which the two men were killed said that they had been struck by a road mine. A video report supported that view. However, after Savchenko was captured later that day the official report was changed to blame her.

Nadiya Savchenko was sentenced to 22 years in a Russian prison after the court proclaimed her to be guilty of "spotting" artillery fire against pro-Russian rebels in June 2014. The court denied her legal team the opportunity to challenge the prosecutors charges, and they were not allowed to cross-examine state witnesses.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko vowed that Ukraine would never recognize the verdict. Poroshenko indicated that he was ready to exchange two Russian soldiers captured in Ukraine for Savchenko's release.
 

[Anotherkiwi]

Mendy, one of the reports I saw said that Savchenko had actually been captured BEFORE the two journalists died.  How likely is that to be true?

If so, of course, she couldn't possibly be guilty of the crimes with which she was charged.

[jone]

Barbarians.  Neoculturny.

I hope the rest of the world takes note of the lack of civilization in Russia and denies lifting the sanctions.

[mendeleyev]

Mendy, one of the reports I saw said that Savchenko had actually been captured BEFORE the two journalists died.  How likely is that to be true?

If so, of course, she couldn't possibly be guilty of the crimes with which she was charged.

It is possible. The events of that day are fuzzy, and frankly the only things that are clear are the previous video reports that the two died of injuries from road mines, and that she was illegally moved across the border by Russian security forces.

[jone]

Heard today that the Russian ambassador to Kyiv said Savchenko is going to moved to Kyiv within two weeks. 

[jone]

http://twitter.com/APUkraine/status/712290077519560705

[mendeleyev]

Jone, I hope that those reports are true.

Some in the Kremlin think that releasing her would show the world has Putin is a reasonable and normal guy, and that sanctions are no longer necessary.

It never ceases to amaze how on one hand they claim that sanctions have no impact, but on the other hand they pee in their pants over the excitement when the subject of lifting sanctions is broached.

[msmobyone]

The rendition of Ms Savchenko and her show trial speak volumes for all that is wrong with the petulant behaviour of the Kremlin towards neighbours that dare to look to the west.