Ukrainian doctors visit pilot in Moscow jail
Savchenko became a symbol of resistance in Ukraine's war.
KIEV (AFP) - Ukrainian doctors have visited pilot Nadiya Savchenko in her Moscow prison for the first time since her capture nine months ago, Ukraine s government said Saturday.
"Thanks to joints efforts of many, from @ poroshenko (President Petro Poroshenko) to our consul in Moscow, Ukrainian doctors are now with Nadiya," Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin tweeted under the #FreeSavchenko hashtag.
Her lawyer Mark Reigin confirmed that the visit was the first time Ukrainian medics were given access to the aviator, who broke off a more-than-80-day hunger strike earlier this month after her health nearly collapsed.
The 33-year-old helicopter pilot, who is also a Ukrainian lawmaker, had previously been seen by German doctors.
In a statement on the website of Savchenko s political party, gastroenterologist Nataliya Kharchenko described the pilot s condition as satisfactory but said she should be "under close medical supervision in hospital".
Savchenko became a symbol of resistance in Ukraine s war against pro-Russian separatists by refusing food to protest her detention.
She is charged with involvement in the deaths of two Russian reporters, who were killed in a mortar attack during the fighting in eastern Ukraine.
She denies the charges and says she was kidnapped and brought to Russia.
