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European Union Vice President Federica Mogherini has called for the immediate release of Nadezhda Savchenko, an officer of the Ukrainian Air Force, who is currently on trial in Russia for the murder of two Russian journalists. Referring to Savchenko’s “deteriorating health condition,” Mogherini views the Savchenko case not from merely judicial or political perspective but also “a matter of human compassion.”

“Her release would be in line with Russia’s international human rights commitments as well as with the ‘Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements’ and the commitment therein to release all hostages and detained persons related to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. For these reasons, I call on the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ms Savchenko on humanitarian grounds,” reads Mogherini’s statement, disseminated by the European External Action Service (EEAS).

As reported earlier, Members of the European Parliament had sent a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini offering to introduce personal sanctions against those involved in the imprisonment of Nadia Savchenko, who remains in custody in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin was the first on the list of those suggested for sanctions.