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| Ukrainian Pilot Sentenced to 22 Years Over Russian Reporters’ Deaths | Ukrainian Pilot Sentenced to 22 Years Over Russian Reporters’ Deaths |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| DONETSK, Russia — A Russian court sentenced a Ukrainian military pilot, Lt. Nadiya V. Savchenko, to 22 years in prison on Tuesday after finding her guilty of complicity in the deaths of two Russian journalists, in a politically charged case that highlighted the strained relations between Moscow and the West. | |
| When the judge began to read out the sentence, Lieutenant Savchenko started to sing a song in Ukrainian. The judge had to stop the proceedings for at least five minutes. The hearing was interrupted again later, after people in the crowd began to sing the Ukrainian anthem. | When the judge began to read out the sentence, Lieutenant Savchenko started to sing a song in Ukrainian. The judge had to stop the proceedings for at least five minutes. The hearing was interrupted again later, after people in the crowd began to sing the Ukrainian anthem. |
| “Simply put, Lieutenant Savchenko did not get a fair trial, and so her conviction is unsound and should not stand,” Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. | “Simply put, Lieutenant Savchenko did not get a fair trial, and so her conviction is unsound and should not stand,” Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. |
| “There should be justice for the deaths of Kornelyuk and Voloshin, but justice won’t be served by an unfair trial that was highly politicized from the start,” he said, referring to the two journalists, Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin. | “There should be justice for the deaths of Kornelyuk and Voloshin, but justice won’t be served by an unfair trial that was highly politicized from the start,” he said, referring to the two journalists, Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin. |
| After the sentencing, Ukraine’s president, Petro O. Poroshenko, said he was willing to speak with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia about exchanging Lieutenant Savchenko for two Russian servicemen captured in Ukraine, whom he did not name. | After the sentencing, Ukraine’s president, Petro O. Poroshenko, said he was willing to speak with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia about exchanging Lieutenant Savchenko for two Russian servicemen captured in Ukraine, whom he did not name. |
| “President Putin said he would return Nadiya V. Savchenko to Ukraine after the so-called court decision,” Mr. Poroshenko said in a statement published on his website. “Now, it is time to fulfill that promise.” | “President Putin said he would return Nadiya V. Savchenko to Ukraine after the so-called court decision,” Mr. Poroshenko said in a statement published on his website. “Now, it is time to fulfill that promise.” |
| Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, told the Interfax news agency that only the Russian president could make such a decision. | Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, told the Interfax news agency that only the Russian president could make such a decision. |
| The Donetsk City Court said Lieutenant Savchenko had directed mortar fire at a rebel-held checkpoint, resulting in the deaths of two Russian reporters during the height of the fighting in eastern Ukraine in June 2014. | The Donetsk City Court said Lieutenant Savchenko had directed mortar fire at a rebel-held checkpoint, resulting in the deaths of two Russian reporters during the height of the fighting in eastern Ukraine in June 2014. |
| Donetsk, a small Russian town 520 miles south of Moscow, near the Ukrainian border, shares a name with the larger city in eastern Ukraine that is the center of the separatist movement. The area around the courthouse was cordoned off by special police units wearing masks. | Donetsk, a small Russian town 520 miles south of Moscow, near the Ukrainian border, shares a name with the larger city in eastern Ukraine that is the center of the separatist movement. The area around the courthouse was cordoned off by special police units wearing masks. |
| The pilot, considered a martyr in Ukraine and elected to Parliament there in absentia, has denied all charges. She has said that Russia kidnapped her an hour before Mr. Kornelyuk and Mr. Voloshin were killed, and that she was spirited across the border to Russia to face a show trial. | The pilot, considered a martyr in Ukraine and elected to Parliament there in absentia, has denied all charges. She has said that Russia kidnapped her an hour before Mr. Kornelyuk and Mr. Voloshin were killed, and that she was spirited across the border to Russia to face a show trial. |
| In Russia, the state news media has turned Lieutenant Savchenko into a symbol of violent anti-Russian nationalism in Ukraine. Russia also said she had entered the country on her own accord, and she was also convicted of illegal entry. | In Russia, the state news media has turned Lieutenant Savchenko into a symbol of violent anti-Russian nationalism in Ukraine. Russia also said she had entered the country on her own accord, and she was also convicted of illegal entry. |
| At the trial, her lawyers and others raised serious problems with the evidence. Lieutenant Savchenko’s lawyers offered cellphone records indicating that she was at least three miles from the shelling site when it took place. | At the trial, her lawyers and others raised serious problems with the evidence. Lieutenant Savchenko’s lawyers offered cellphone records indicating that she was at least three miles from the shelling site when it took place. |
| Then, in an interview published on Monday by Meduza.io, a news website, a rebel leader said he had captured Lieutenant Savchenko before the shelling that killed the Russian journalists. The rebel identified himself by a military nickname, Ilim. | Then, in an interview published on Monday by Meduza.io, a news website, a rebel leader said he had captured Lieutenant Savchenko before the shelling that killed the Russian journalists. The rebel identified himself by a military nickname, Ilim. |
| The West and Ukraine have said the case amounted to the latest in a long series of show trials, and President Obama and several European leaders were among the critics. | The West and Ukraine have said the case amounted to the latest in a long series of show trials, and President Obama and several European leaders were among the critics. |
| In a telephone call to Mr. Putin last week, Mr. Obama urged him to release Lieutenant Savchenko. Mr. Putin rejected the request, saying he could not interfere in the judicial process, according to a statement by Mr. Peskov. | In a telephone call to Mr. Putin last week, Mr. Obama urged him to release Lieutenant Savchenko. Mr. Putin rejected the request, saying he could not interfere in the judicial process, according to a statement by Mr. Peskov. |
| Several Western and Ukrainian diplomats were on hand to hear the verdict, as were some of Lieutenant Savchenko’s relatives; a dozen supporters, including members of the Ukrainian Parliament; and a small army of reporters. | Several Western and Ukrainian diplomats were on hand to hear the verdict, as were some of Lieutenant Savchenko’s relatives; a dozen supporters, including members of the Ukrainian Parliament; and a small army of reporters. |
| Lieutenant Savchenko will not appeal the court’s decision because she does not believe Russian courts can judge her fairly, said her lead lawyer, Mark Feygin. She also asked her lawyers to announce that she would go on a hunger strike 10 days after the verdict, when it comes into force. She has gone on hunger strikes several times before, including this month. | |