Savchenko Nadiya Viktorivna

Hero of Ukraine, pilot, former MP from "Batkivshchyna" — arrested for preparing a coup d'état and a terrorist act

Captain, Mi-24 helicopter navigator-operator, participant in the Revolution of Dignity. In summer 2014, she volunteered for the "Aidar" battalion, where on June 17 she was captured by "LPR" militants near the settlement of Metalist — she was taken to Voronezh and a case of murdering Russian journalists was fabricated against her. In November 2014, while imprisoned, she was registered as a people's deputy from "Batkivshchyna." On March 22, 2016, a Russian court sentenced her to 22 years in prison, and on May 25, 2016, she was exchanged for two GRU officers — Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov.

In December 2016, Savchenko left for Minsk without the knowledge of the SBU, where she negotiated with the leaders of the "DPR" and "LPR" — Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky — through Russian mediation. The SBU was not informed in advance about the trip or the content of the negotiations. As later became known, Savchenko discussed not only hostages with the militants.

Case of the terrorist act in the Verkhovna Rada and coup d'état

In March 2018, the SBU arrested Savchenko together with Ruban. According to the investigation version, the conspirators planned to destroy the dome of the Verkhovna Rada with mortar shots installed on a barge on the Dnipro River, and then finish off deputies with automatic weapons. They were charged with preparing a violent overthrow of the constitutional order, encroachment on the lives of state officials, preparation of a terrorist act, and aiding the terrorist organization "DPR." In April 2019, Savchenko and Ruban were released from custody after the preventive measure expired and no new one was chosen. The criminal proceeding has effectively stalled — no verdict has been issued.