Savchenko Back On Hunger Strike; Russian Jailers May Send Her To Civilian Hospital

Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko (in white blouse) is escorted inside a Moscow court building for a hearing on April 17.

Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko may be transferred to a civilian hospital after resuming the hunger strike she has conducted to protest her incarceration in Russia.

Russian Federal Penitentiary Service spokeswoman Kristina Belousova said on April 27 that Savchenko's health had deteriorated abruptly after she refused to eat over the weekend.

She said that Savchenko "will be transferred to a civilian medical establishment if need be."

Savchenko's lawyer Mark Feigin said on April 27 that his client would not oppose a transfer to a civilian hospital.

Savchenko has been in pretrial detention in Russia since July, when she says she was illegally brought into the county after being abducted by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

She is charged with complicity in the killing of two Russian journalists who died in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, as well as illegal border crossing.

She maintained a hunger strike for more than 80 days over the winter.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax