Ukraine's Savchenko launches hunger strike over political inaction

[uawchild]

Source: Reuters

Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian servicewoman-turned-lawmaker who spent two years in a Russian jail, announced a new hunger strike on Tuesday to speed up the release of other Ukrainian prisoners-of-war, accusing Ukraine's president of ignoring their plight.

Savchenko's return from Russia in May via a prisoner swap was a PR coup for President Petro Poroshenko. But her membership of a main opposition party and vocal criticism of key policies threaten to make her a thorn in his side.

She has been campaigning for the release via prisoner swap of the around 25 Ukrainians still held by Russia or pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, but said the Ukrainian authorities were not committed to securing their freedom.

"I suggested concrete actions to the president of Ukraine - we need to start initiating the handover of people," she said in a news briefing.
"But the children of Petro Oleksiyovych (Poroshenko) aren't in captivity, while he spits on your children," she said, addressing the parents of Ukrainian prisoners.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-savchenko-hungerstrike-idUSKCN10D167

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"Savchenko, who spent much of her time in Russian jail on hunger strike, said she would hold a new strike until progress is made on the prisoner exchange.

Releasing prisoners-of-war is one of the terms of the 12-point Minsk peace deal, which was brokered between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists in February 2015 with the aim of ending a conflict which has killed over 9,400 since April 2014."


This woman is a Ukrainian nationalist firebrand and SHE is calling for the Ukraine government to stop dragging it's feet and proceeded with prisoner exchanges as per the Minsk II peace plan.

Unfortunately, the Ukrainian government has a huge incentive not to see the Minsk II peace accord implemented -- namely as long as it is not completed, economic sanctions remain in effect on Russia. It is simply in Ukraine's real-politic interest to NOT abide by Minsk II, they face no penalties for any obstructionism.

[uhnope]

1. She'd be assassinated for that in Russia. Good thing she escaped being a political prisoner there

The world fondly remembers Savchenko's nonverbal "final statement" to her fascist Russian jailers:

[uawchild]

2. Ukrainian MP calls Savchenko ‘Putin's Trojan Horse'

Savchenko sparks outcry calling for reconciliation with separatists

Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian military officer who became a national hero after spending nearly two years in a Russian prison, called for reconciliation to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, sparking outrage among some lawmakers, RFE/RL reports.

Savchenko, who was elected to parliament while in prison, said in an interview broadcast July 21 on Ukraine's Channel Five that Ukrainians must "ask for forgiveness." Otherwise, she said, the violence that has gripped the country's Donbas region since April 2014 would continue.

Her comments infuriated nationalist lawmakers and others, including Anton Herashchenko who also serves as an aide to the Interior Ministry.

"You, Nadiya, are able to ask for forgiveness of...Russians who came to our lands to kill and rape, but we will never ask forgiveness of the occupiers and terrorists," he wrote on his Facebook page. "We will, through clenched teeth, hold on and achieve the liberation of our lands by any means!"

"Why did no one notice, that no live streaming was permitted from the trials of Sentsov or Kolchenko? And why, at the same time, Russian judge allowed to do live broadcasts from Savchenko's trial for all channels that wanted it?" Herashchenko went on to say.

"Russian TV channels and sites fell over backward in order not to hide the shameful and unfair trial of Savchenko. Why did the Russian media and court purposefully promoted Savchenko? Strange, is not it?

Now it seems clear - Putin enrooted a "Trojan horse" into the minds of Ukrainians."
http://uatoday.tv/politics/ukrainian-mp-calls-savchenko-putin-s-trojan-horse-702571.html

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So, according to MP Anton Herashchenko, also an aide to the Interior Ministry, Savchenko is working for the Russians and her trial in Russia was staged to make her look like a hero?

That's INSANE. That article is from Ukraine Today, btw.

[uawchild]

3. Freed Ukrainian pilot calls for talks with separatist rebels

Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian helicopter pilot who spent more than a year in a Russian jail, has issued a surprise call for direct dialogue with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics”.

Savchenko was sentenced to 22 years in jail in March but released as part of a prisoner swap last month. She returned to Kiev a hero and has taken up the parliamentary seat she was given while jailed.

Savchenko, who served in a Ukrainian volunteer battalion prior to her arrest, was expected to take a hard line on the conflict in the east, but instead said direct dialogue was required, in addition to keeping up international diplomatic pressure on Russia.

“We should establish direct internal communication without third or fourth parties,” said Savchenko in a radio interview. She added that was ready to negotiate with Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic, directly.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/09/freed-ukrainian-pilot-nadiya-savchenko-calls-for-talks-with-separatist-rebels

[uawchild]

4. "Good thing she escaped being a political prisoner there" -- She was released in a prisoner swap

"Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko released by Russia in prisoner swap

A Ukrainian pilot detained in Russia since 2014 has made a triumphant return home following a prisoner swap that saw her traded for two Russians."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/25/ukrainian-pilot-nadiya-savchenko-released-by-russia-in-prisoner-swap-deal

Which brings us full circle, since Savchenko is now criticizing the Ukraine government for dragging its feet in further prisoner exchanges as per the Minsk II peace accord.

[uhnope]

5. Yes she was a political prisoner in Russia

Her cause was taken up by Amnesty International and she was declared a political prisoner by the Russian human rights group Memorial (and then the Russia gov declared the organization must register as a "foreign agent" as part of the crackdown). Thank god the international human rights community and western democracies took up her cause so she didn't rot to death in a Russian gulag

[FairWinds]

6. Good to see a bit of balanced coverage for a change . .

There are factions in the Ukraine that would not mind a bit if the
US and NATO were dragged into a war.

When it comes to war and rumors of war, it's best to deploy
a healthy dose of skepticism.

And don't forget the US role in destabilizing Ukraine in 2014.

As the Forever War expands . .