Savchenko freed from Russian prison

Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian military pilot who was kidnapped by Russian forces from Ukraine, was released from prison on May 25 after spending nearly two years in captivity and being convicted of murder in what has been recognized globally as a show trial. She flew from Russia escorted by the Ukrainian president’s officials and briefly spoke to journalists at the capital’s airport, before being transported to the Presidential Administration, where she was given the highest state honor, the Hero of Ukraine award.

Savchenko was pardoned by a decree signed by Russian President Putin, who accepted in exchange two Russian intelligence officers captured on Ukrainian territory. At the same time, top Russian officials insisted it wasn’t an exchange, but merely the mutual fulfillment of a charter on transferring convicts. The official reason for Savchenko’s release as cited by Putin was his sympathy to the plea made by the wives of the two Russian journalists alleged to have been murdered by Savchenko that he show mercy on the pilot.

Savchenko’s release was achieved during talks in recent weeks between the leaders of the Normandy Format, including French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Though not a member of the format, U.S. President Barack Obama played a critical role in arranging for her release, said Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Valeriy Chaly. In his turn, Putin said his ally in Ukraine, Viktor Medvedchuk, played a key role in Savchenko’s release.

Zenon Zawada: It’s rare that a single prisoner of war can captivate the world’s attention, but the patriotism she demonstrated by fighting as a volunteer (outside the military), the nefarious nature of her capture by the Donbas terrorists who transferred her to the Russians, and the harshness of her courtroom and prison conditions were exceptionally compelling. The possible date of her release was a constant mystery amid two years of talks that intensified at various times, including during the last two weeks.

On a political level, all sides essentially got what they wanted. Putin exploited Savchenko and her trial to demonize the Ukrainian fighters and rally public support around him before ultimately casting himself as the merciful czar, while Poroshenko scored political points (near the two-year anniversary of his election) with a Ukrainian public that widely disapproves of his handling of the war, in addition to his recent corruption scandals. Western leaders renewed some legitimacy to the Minsk accords, which have been mostly written off as a failure.

There’s no doubt that Savchenko will become an active MP in the Ukrainian parliament (to which she was elected in absentia in 2014), given her strong convictions and outspoken nature. She has already been appointed to the parliamentary committee on national security and defense. The big question is whether she will work with the president (who arranged her release), align herself with the pro-Western opposition led by Yulia Tymoshenko (whose Fatherland party helped to elect her to parliament) or remain neutral. It’s also unclear whether she will play a tactical role behind the scenes or take center stage as Ukraine’s newest “Joan of Arc”-type figure (after Tymoshenko abdicated that role).