Savchenko launches latest hunger strike

Ukrainian MP Nadiya Savchenko, who spent nearly two years in Russian captivity, told an August 2 press conference that she’s launching her latest hunger strike to protest the lack of activity by the Ukrainian government and the world in securing the release of Ukrainian war prisoners. These efforts have come to a halt and she said she will starve herself until a positive result. “I tried many methods to fights for the boys, as the world fought for me,” she said. “Now I will fight for them as I fought for myself. One of the mechanisms of accelerating my release was a hunger strike against the inactivity of the Ukrainian government.”

Zenon Zawada: Among the reasons hunger strikes can be effective is that there’s a risk of death, which Savchenko truly faced while in Russian captivity. They are also effective as a means of last resort. In her current position of being free and serving in parliament however, it’s doubtful that her hunger strike will draw the attention that it drew while in prison. There are other means of pressuring the government and world leaders, such as organizing a civic organization.

In general, Savchenko has demonstrated herself to be utterly alien to the rules and techniques of Ukrainian politics. For example, rather than tailoring her public statements to appeal to a certain political electorate, she says whatever comes across her mind, regardless of whether such statements will bring her any political dividends.