Nadezhda Savchenko supports Nikolai Karpyuk and Stanislav Klykh at SC

Today, the Russian Supreme Court (SC) has started to consider an appeal filed against the verdict pronounced in the criminal case against Ukrainian citizens Nikolai Karpyuk and Stanislav Klykh, accused of involvement in the first Chechen war on the side of the militants. The sentenced men are involved in the consideration of the appeal in Moscow via video conference. The court session was attended by Nadezhda Savchenko, a deputy of the Ukrainian Rada, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. She expressed her support for the sentenced Ukrainian citizens.

On May 26, on the basis of a verdict of guilty pronounced by a jury, the Supreme Court of the Chechen Republic sentenced Nikolai Karpyuk to 22.5 years of imprisonment and Stanislav Klykh to 20 years of imprisonment. According to investigators, on December 31, 1994, being members of the "UNA-UNSO" (an organization which activities are banned in Russia by the court), Nikolai Karpyuk and Stanislav Klykh were involved in combat actions for Grozny, and they killed at least 30 Russian soldiers and officers. The sentenced men denied their involvement in the conflict in Chechnya and complained about torture during the investigation.

Between the pleadings in court, Nadezhda Savchenko, who came to court dressed in a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt, talked to Nikolai Karpyuk and Stanislav Klykh via online video conference, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports from the courtroom.

Nadezhda Savchenko approached the chair and raised her hand to greet the defendants. She has noted that their relatives are waiting for them in Ukraine.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.