You're reading: Savchenko remains defiant as first Ukrainian soldier testifies in Russian court

Russia's widely condemned trial of Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko continued on Jan. 18 with testimony from a Ukrainian soldier – the first Ukrainian serviceman to speak in the case after a long line of separatist witnesses brought by state prosecutors.


The new witness, Ukrainian soldier
Ivan Rusnak, offered testimony that went against everything Russian
prosecutors have argued so far in accusing Savchenko of killing two
Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine on June 17, 2014.

Savchenko faces 25 years on the
charges, in a case that has been condemned as a farce by the
international community and prompted worldwide outrage.

Rusnak
testified that he encountered Savchenko near Schastye shortly before
her capture by Russian-backed separatists. After he and his fellow
soldiers were ambushed near a separatist checkpoint, he said,
Savchenko came to their aid with medical supplies.

Rusnak disputed the argument made
earlier by prosecutors that Savchenko had been found with a backpack
containing a radio and binoculars, a claim which implied she had been
helping to pinpoint targets for Ukrainian mortar fire.

Instead, Rusnak said, she had only a
first-aid kit with her at the time. After treating several Ukrainian
soldiers, she called for help for the wounded soldiers before running
off when separatist forces began firing on the area. There was
nothing to suggest Savchenko had been acting as a spotter for
Ukrainian troops firing artillery, he said.

Russian prosecutors have claimed
that Savchenko was detained immediately after Ukrainian mortar fire
killed the two Russian journalists, though the defense says she was
actually captured before the incident. Prosecutors have attempted to
back up their accusations with video evidence taken by a separatist
witness and purporting to show Savchenko’s detention.

The video has become a major point
of contention between the two sides. At the last hearing, video
forensic expert Edward Kozlov said 10 files of video had been
deleted, Russian news portal Media Zona reported.

The defense repeatedly pleaded with
the judge to have Rusnak watch the video on Jan. 18, arguing that
Rusnak may be able to identify new witnesses in the video, who, in
turn, could offer new evidence.

The judge declined, however.

The court is “working in tandem
with prosecutors, as usual,” Mark Feygin, one of Savchenko’s
lawyers, lamented on Twitter after the hearing.

According
to Feygin, Savchenko has lost about 15 kilograms since she declared a
hunger strike a month ago. She has vowed to continue with the hunger
strike even though she can no longer keep water down, lawyer Nikolai
Polozov said.

Despite her hunger strike, the
Ukrainian pilot was outspoken and defiant at the latest hearing. When
Feygin spoke of a concern for the safety of the defense’s latest
witness, the judge asked if there was a reason to be concerned, to
which Nadiya shouted, “What are you talking about? They kidnapped
me!”

When prosecutors questioned Rusnak,
Savchenko interrupted, prompting prosecutors to ask the judge to
issue a reprimand.

Give
yourself a reprimand and stop getting on my nerves! I can’t listen to
any more stupid questions,” Savchenko responded.

The next hearing is set for Jan. 20
at 11 a.m. Moscow time.

Staff writer Allison Quinn can be
reached at [email protected]