Chris Smith: “H. Res. 50, introduced by Representative Levin, calls for the release of former Ukrainian fighter pilot Nadiya…”

“H. Res. 50, introduced by Representative Levin, calls for the release of former Ukrainian fighter pilot Nadiya Savchenko, who has been languishing in Russian prisons since she was abducted by pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine in 2014, and illegally transferred across the border in handcuffs and with a bag over her head. Since she was incarcerated on specious and unsubstantiated charges, Nadiya has endured interrogations, involuntary psychiatric evaluations and solitary confinement. She spent four months on a hunger strike as a symbol of protest, ending it last April. Her trial opened today. Nadiya is yet another victim of the Putin regime's brutality. We must recognize that this isn't just about her, but also represents a very visible manifestation of Russia's aggression towards a Ukraine that wishes to remain free, independent, and democratic. Nadiya is a symbol for the struggle of Ukraine. Madam Speaker, Nadiya Savchenko was elected in absentia to the Ukrainian Parliament in October and was named a member of Ukraine's delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. As such, she enjoys diplomatic immunity. With its illegal annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine, Russia has made a mockery of its international commitments, including all ten core OSCE principles enshrined in the 1975 Helsinki Final Act.…”