Ukrainian military pilot Nadezhda Savchenko — charged with involvement in the deaths of two Russian journalists — has said in her final statement to the court that there will be a revolution in Russia and that she will continue her hunger strike, the RBC news website reported Wednesday.
“There will be a Maidan [revolution] in Russia,” Savchenko said in her last statement at the trial in the city of Donetsk in Russia's southern Rostov region, RBC reported.
After these words, the imprisoned pilot jumped onto a bench and gave the middle finger to the court.
Savchenko's lawyer then read out the full version of her final statement, published earlier on her Facebook page, in which the pilot says she will continue her hunger strike until Russia returns her to Ukraine.
She also said she doesn't recognize the legality of the trial and called Russia “a Third World country with a totalitarian regime.”
Savchenko has been under arrest in Russia since July 2014. The Russian prosecutor demands that she be sentenced to 23 years in prison. Savchenko denies all the charges.
On March 3, the Ukrainian pilot declared a dry hunger strike after the judges postponed her final statement until March 9.
A verdict to Savchenko will be announced by the court on March 21-22, RBC reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
