"Everything written here is a lie": Savchenko pleads not guilty

Ukrainian helicopter pilot, Member of Parliament Nadia Savchenko said she would not plead guilty in a Russian court during today’s hearing in a criminal case she says has been trumped up against her, according to one of Savchenko’s lawyers Nikolai Polozov.

"Savchenko: I plead not guilty; everything written down in the indictment is a lie," Polozov tweeted.

He also said that the prosecutor in Donetsk city court of the Rostov region was "muttering" the indictment in the court room.

The authorities allowed the cameramen to be present during the prosecutor’s speech “to get the ‘right’ picture,” according to Polozov. Meanwhile, Savchenko’s sister Vera was removed from the court room. She will be later testifying as a witness.

Earlier today, the Donetsk city court of the Rostov region began a hearing in the criminal сase of Nadiya Savchenko.

The journalists were initially banned from the courtroom, although the Ukrainian Consul and Nadiya’s sister were present. not allowed in journalists, but allowed presence of the Ukrainian Consul and Nadiya’s sister.

UNIAN memo. Savchenko was abducted by Russia-backed militants in Donbas last summer, and then taken to Russia, where she was charged with being involved in the death of Russian journalists. However, the defense claims she couldn't have been involved in the death as she had been captured before the journalists were killed.

On June 10, Moscow's City Court prolonged Savchenko's arrest until September 30, 2015, at the Investigative Committee's request.

On July 2, the Investigative Committee announced that Savchenko and three of her attorneys completed the examination of the case materials. 

Savchenko is being accused of murder and also of attempted murder, according to the PGO statement.

Savchenko faces up to 25 years in Russian prison, according to her lawyer.

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