Russia frees female Ukrainian pilot

Russia frees female Ukrainian pilot

A Ukrainian pilot held in Russian custody has been released.

Nadiya Savchenko arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday after spending nearly two years in a Russian prison.

The 35-year-old army helicopter pilot was released as part of an apparent prisoner swap with Moscow, with two alleged Russian soldiers leaving Ukraine earlier in the day, according to an official in the Ukrainian presidential administration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said the widows of two Russian journalists killed in eastern Ukraine had asked him to pardon the Ukrainian pilot. Putin said in televised remarks that he hoped her release “will help reduce tension in the Ukraine conflict and avoid new loss of life.”

Savchenko was sentenced by a Russian court sentenced to 22 years in prison after being convicted of killing two journalists during a shelling campaign in east Ukraine while Russian-backed rebels fought with the Ukrainian government.

Savchenko denied the charges and launched several hunger strikes to protest her detention.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini hailed her release saying she was celebrating with Ukraine.

“Nadiya Savchenko is free and back in Ukraine,former Italian foreign minister Mogherini said on Twitter. “Long awaited good news, that the EU celebrates together with her country.”

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