The advent of the Euro-Maidan in November 2013 and the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) launched in April 2014 has fostered an international online community of social media activists in support of Ukraine that continues to this day on Facebook and Twitter, and beyond. This activism has re-ignited Ukrainian communities the world over. It has inspired communities coming together to renew and strengthen existing organizations and to form new organizations that have united multiple generations of Ukrainians. The common goal is the support of and assistance to Ukraine’s sovereignty, prosperity and peace.
The Euro-Maidan and the conflict in eastern Ukraine has created many heroic figures in Ukraine. One of the most iconic symbols of Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty, peace and the creation of a better tomorrow is fighter pilot Nadiya Savchenko. She was the first Ukrainian woman to train as a pilot. She was the only woman to participate in Ukraine’s peacekeeping mission in Iraq. She was also very active during Ukraine’s Euro-Maidan revolution. When the conflict started in eastern Ukraine, she went to fight for her country against the Russian-backed separatists as part of the Aidar Battalion.
Today Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko sits in a Moscow jail after being abducted by Russian-backed “separatists” in Luhansk, and forcibly and illegally taken into Russia in June 2014. An investigative committee in Russia charged her with complicity in the deaths of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine and illegally crossing the Russian border. On April 24, a Russian court finalized the false charges of complicity in murder and formally added illegal border crossing to the charges despite the fact that Lt. Savchenko was blindfolded and handcuffed when she was taken across the border by her captors.
Ms. Savchenko was on a hunger strike for 83 days from December 13, 2014, through March 5 of this year, surviving solely on water and glucose drips. In her own words she explained the reason for the hunger strike, “I’m hunger striking to try to force some common sense from the Russian government and some conscience from the Investigative Committee.” She ended her hunger strike based on the pleas of her family, attorneys and fellow Ukrainians.
The illegal abduction and detention of Ms. Savchenko has been answered by an unprecedented worldwide crowd-sourced campaign to #FreeSavchenko. Many actions, from international rallies to Twitter storms, have taken place with the goal of publicizing her case on a worldwide basis. Just recently Maria Savchenko, Nadiya’s mother, visited the U.S., while and her sister Vira visited Paris, in addition to prior trips to Berlin and other cities. All of these efforts are aimed at freeing Nadiya Savchenko.
May 11 is Nadiya’s 34th birthday. I am asking Ukrainians and our supporters the world over to please join the “Mail Nadiya Savchenko a Birthday Card” campaign. The event can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/138484170 1842273/. It makes her day to receive mail. Let’s show her that people from all parts of the world care about her, by wishing her a happy birthday. Facebook users are asked to please post a photo of their cards on the event page.
Under normal circumstances, sending a birthday card is a rather simple and pleasant task. Unfortunately, the Moscow jail censors Ms. Savchenko’s mail very closely. I have been informed that they do not allow any mail that is not written in Russian, and same goes for mail containing Ukrainian symbols. Mark Feygin, one of Ms. Savchenko’s attorneys conveys that the pitiful excuse they give is that mail written in other languages might actually contain escape plans. Recently, Vira Savchenko mentioned that the prison will no longer allow Nadiya to give her any written material.
The birthday card campaign was designed in consultation with Ms. Savchenko’s attorneys and it is set up in a certain way for very specific reasons. Our goal is for Nadiya to actually receive the cards and know how many people support her. Please keep this in mind as you read on.
Please wish Ms. Savchenko a happy birthday with the Russian greeting “С Днем Рождения.” I know that it’s maddening to have to do so in Russian, but let’s keep in mind that we want her to receive these cards. You can also choose to just send a card with drawings or photos without the greeting in Russian. Please note that any mail with non-Russian language, or Ukrainian language and symbols will not be delivered to Ms. Savchenko. The jail does not accept postcards.
You should address your card to Nadiya Savchenko as follows:
Савченко Надежде Викторовне
ул. Матросская тишина, д. 18
ФКУ СИЗО – 1
УФСИН РФ г. Москва 107076
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Please write your return address in the language of your country of residence.
Thank you! Slava Ukraini! Heroyam slava!