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Kremlin refuses to exchange jailed Ukrainian pilot Savchenko for her sister

There was an appeal of Savchenko’s sister to Putin, where she suggested that she took the place of her sister, the presidential spokesman said, noting that there is no such practice in Russia

Vera Savchenko, sister of Nadezhda Savchenko Maxim Nikitin/TASS

Vera Savchenko, sister of Nadezhda Savchenko

© Maxim Nikitin/TASS

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Former Ukrainian pilot Savchenko resumes hunger-strike

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Russia does not practice the exchange of detainees, as the country’s legislation doesn’t provide for this, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, commenting on media reports on the appeal of Savchenko’s sister to Russian President Vladimir Putin to exchange her for her sister in the detention facility.

"Such a conversation took place indeed," Peskov said, noting that he personally conducted the conversation over the phone. "There was an appeal of Savchenko’s sister to Putin, where she suggested that she took the place of her sister," the presidential spokesman said.

"The investigation is under way, and, according to the [Russian] legislation, activities comparable to the exchange of hostages are not carried out," Peskov said.

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