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| Ukraine pilot Savchenko to make final Russia court statement | Ukraine pilot Savchenko to make final Russia court statement |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Ukrainian pilot on trial in Russia over the killing of two journalists is due to make her closing statement in court after five days on hunger strike. | A Ukrainian pilot on trial in Russia over the killing of two journalists is due to make her closing statement in court after five days on hunger strike. |
| Nadia Savchenko denies directing artillery fire at the Russian journalists in June 2014. | Nadia Savchenko denies directing artillery fire at the Russian journalists in June 2014. |
| She is reported to have refused all food and drink since her hearing was adjourned before she was given a chance to make her last statement on Thursday. | She is reported to have refused all food and drink since her hearing was adjourned before she was given a chance to make her last statement on Thursday. |
| The EU and US have both called for her immediate release. | The EU and US have both called for her immediate release. |
| In a statement, US Vice President Joe Biden described Ms Savchenko as having been "unjustly imprisoned in Russia since 2014 - detained and facing trial on trumped up charges". | In a statement, US Vice President Joe Biden described Ms Savchenko as having been "unjustly imprisoned in Russia since 2014 - detained and facing trial on trumped up charges". |
| 'Fighting spirit' | 'Fighting spirit' |
| She was captured in 2014 at the height of the fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels. | She was captured in 2014 at the height of the fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels. |
| The 34-year-old insists the whole case against her is politically motivated, and she has become a symbol in Ukraine of her country's resistance against Russia. | The 34-year-old insists the whole case against her is politically motivated, and she has become a symbol in Ukraine of her country's resistance against Russia. |
| She says she was kidnapped by rebel fighters at least an hour before the attack in which the two Russian TV journalists were killed. | She says she was kidnapped by rebel fighters at least an hour before the attack in which the two Russian TV journalists were killed. |
| A team of "the best Ukrainian doctors" are due to examine her on Wednesday amid concerns for her health, according to a Ukrainian lawmaker. | A team of "the best Ukrainian doctors" are due to examine her on Wednesday amid concerns for her health, according to a Ukrainian lawmaker. |
| Ms Savchenko called her hunger strike to protest at what she has described as her "illegal imprisonment" in Russia and "farce" of a murder trial, reports the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in southern Russia. | |
| Whilst the defendant is weak, a Ukrainian diplomat who visited her on Tuesday told the BBC that she was still in "fighting spirit". | Whilst the defendant is weak, a Ukrainian diplomat who visited her on Tuesday told the BBC that she was still in "fighting spirit". |
| The EU has expressed concern about Ms Savchenko's wellbeing, and Nobel prize-winner Svitlana Aleksievich is among more than 4,300 signatories to an open letter urging European leaders to act to secure her freedom. | The EU has expressed concern about Ms Savchenko's wellbeing, and Nobel prize-winner Svitlana Aleksievich is among more than 4,300 signatories to an open letter urging European leaders to act to secure her freedom. |
| Relations between Russia and Ukraine - along with its Western allies - have deteriorated following Moscow's annexation of the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and its support for pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. | Relations between Russia and Ukraine - along with its Western allies - have deteriorated following Moscow's annexation of the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and its support for pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. |