Kremlin: Savchenko’s fate in court’s hands

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said on February 13 that no promises were made during peace talks in Minsk about the fate of detained Ukrainian air force pilot Nadiya Savchenko. Dmitry Peskov said the Savchenko case would be decided by Russian courts. He said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko inquired during the February 12 talks about Russia releasing Lt. Savchenko, who has been held by Russia for more than six months on charges of involvement in the killing of two Russian journalists in Ukraine. She is in the ninth week of a hunger strike. Mr. Poroshenko said after the talks he was told Lt. Savchenko would be released “in the near future.” Mr. Peskov said French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had also urged Lt. Savchenko’s release during the Minsk talks. An “all-for-all” exchange of captives between Ukraine and the pro-Russian separatists agreed to in Minsk had raised Ukrainian hopes that Lt. Savchenko would be released. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax)