Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing – 9 March 2016, 7 PM Kyiv time

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported that yesterday towards Luhansk, Russian-terrorist forces attacked a Ukrainian position near Troykhizbenka. The attack was repelled. Towards Donetsk, Russian-terrorist forces shelled Ukrainian positions near Horlivka and the Avdiyivka-Opytne-Pisky line with mortars. Towards Mariupol, Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions at Maryinka, Starohnativka, and Shyrokyne. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that yesterday Russian-terrorist forces fired on Ukrainian positions 43 times in total. The RNBO reported that in the last 24 hours no Ukrainian soldiers were killed and eight were wounded in action.

On 8 March, S. Dion, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, “I am gravely concerned about the health of Nadiya Savchenko, Ukrainian pilot, member of Ukraine’s parliament and Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, who has been unlawfully detained by Russia since June 2014. She was put on trial in a Russian court, and on March 4, 2016, following the postponement by the court of her closing remarks, Ms. Savchenko, already on a hunger strike, began to refuse water. Canada has repeatedly underlined that Ms. Savchenko’s transfer to Russia was illegal, the charges brought against her politically motivated and her treatment during her detention a matter of grave concern. The court process has been marked by irregularities from the start. With regard to Ms. Savchenko’s rapidly failing health, we appeal to Russia to act compassionately by immediately releasing her and returning her to friends, colleagues and family in Ukraine.”

Ukrainian pilot and MP Nadiya Savchenko stated that she will continue her dry hunger strike after the court postponed the verdict in Russia’s illegal trial until 21 March. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported, “A defiant Savchenko declared that she would recognize neither the court nor its verdict. […] Savchenko emphasized that she is willing to continue the no-food, no-water hunger strike no matter what happens, saying, ‘You must understand that we are playing with my life; the stakes are high and I have nothing to lose.’ She also said a popular uprising similar to Ukraine’s Euromaidan movement is inevitable in Russia, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘cannot hold on to power by means of people’s blood.’ […] After the hearing, Savchenko lawyer Nikolai Polozov said on Twitter that the court had denied permission for Savchenko’s family and Ukrainian doctors or Ukrainian consular officials to visit her before the sentencing hearing. Polozov told Reuters that Savchenko’s ‘life is in danger’ and added, ‘As lawyers, our main task now is to enable Ukrainian doctors to get to her.'”