U.S. Calls For Russia To Release Ukrainian Pilot, Film Producer
Washington (dpa) -- The United States Tuesday called for Russia to release two high-profile Ukrainians being held as part of its conflict with Ukraine.
One of them, Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, is on a hunger strike "and is suffering additional health problems," said Jen Psaki, spokeswoman for the US State Department.
"We call for her immediate release, as well as other Ukrainian hostages held by Russia," she said.
Moscow has accused Savchenko, 33, of aiding the killing of
two Russian journalists while she was fighting with a volunteer battalion in eastern Ukraine.
She has been held in a detention centre in southern Russia since July after her capture by eastern Ukrainian separatists in June.
Ukraine has accused Moscow of kidnapping her. She was elected to the Ukrainian Parliament in October despite her imprisonment. She is among the first women in Ukraine to have trained as a military pilot.
The second prisoner Psaki named was film producer Oleg Sentsov, who was apprehended by Russian security forces in Ukraine in May, and is awaiting trial in a Moscow prison. An outspoken critic of Russia's military intervention in Crimea, he risks being sentenced to up to 20 years in jail.
JKX To Suspend 2015 Capex Programme In Ukraine
Jan 7 (Reuters) -- JKX Oil & Gas Plc said it would suspend its capital expenditure program in Ukraine for 2015, citing government-imposed restrictions on selling gas to industrial clients and an increase in gas production tax.
The company said gas sales may reduce to less than 50 percent of its production capacity in Ukraine while the decree remained in force, adding that it would halt a proportionate level of gas production.
A presidential ruling requires Ukrainian gas producers to supply all their output in the 2014-15 seasons to the population rather than industries to help the country tide over an energy shortage.
JKX, which has most of its production assets in Ukraine and Russia, had in September cut its 2014 capital expenditure programme in Ukraine after the government almost doubled gas production tax.
That concludes our live blogging for Tuesday, January 6.