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Savchenko's Sister Allowed to Provide Testimony in Russian Court

Vera Savchenko, sister of Ukrainian army officer Nadezhda Savchenko, speaks during an interview with Reuters near pretrial detention center number one in Moscow, Feb. 4, 2015.

Russia's authorities have allowed the younger sister of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko to enter the country to testify in court as her sister's defense witness, lawyers said, after an attempt to bar her from entering Russia prompted an outcry from the defense team.

“Here is an example of the undoubtable force of publicity: Vera Savchenko has been allowed into Russia,” lawyer Mark Feygin said in a Twitter message Monday.

Vera Savchenko was the sole defense witness scheduled to appear in her sister's trial, lawyers said previously.

Moscow accuses Nadezhda Savchenko of abetting the killing of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine last year, before illegally crossing into Russia.

Vera Savchenko had earlier quoted a Russian border guard who told her she was banned from entering Russia until 2020.

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