Savchenko agreed to begin drinking water after Poroshenko's request, to refuse food until verdict handed down

Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, charged with involvement in the killing of Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine in 2014, has started to drink water, her lawyer has confirmed.

"I visited Nadia at the remand center today. She began drinking water, stopped her 'dry' hunger strike," lawyer Mark Feygin told Interfax on Thursday.

However, #Savchenko is still refusing food, he said.

"And she will not [eat] until March 21-22," he added.

Savchenko agreed to begin drinking water following a request from Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The Donetsk City Court in Russia's southern Rostov region is expected to hand down its verdict in Savchenko's case on March 21-22.

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