Nadiya Savchenko, the Ukrainian POW illegally imprisoned in Russia, has been on a hunger strike from 13 December 2014, protesting against unfair charges and Putin-style justice. Her unbreakable spirit, as evidenced in the letters she wrote from prison, has made her a symbol of Ukraine’s resistance to the Russian invasion. Alex King, aka @GlasnostGone on twitter, has made a video with some of her most inspiring phrases. “Before she dies, read her words,” he asks. We provide some of them here, in English and Ukrainian.
1- Life is given to a person by God, and God can take it when it is his will.
2 – I make my choice to fight in the only way available to me, as a prisoner of war and a jailed person, — by hunger.
3 – I am grateful to God that he gives me strength, and I also get strength from every person who thinks of me at least once a day.
4 – Thanks to all of you! And, if God needs me to end my life in Russia under torture, then such is his will.
5 – Please know that no hunger can scare me now thanks to this strength that comes from you!
6 -Together we are invincible! Ukraine will win! A free Ukraine will prevail!
7 – During her Interrogation in Ukraine: “I swore of defend the Ukrainian people, to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine from outside aggression.”
8 -Thank you to all those who have written to me or simply remembered me with a kind word, that has filled me with strength.
9 – I know that very many people at all levels in Ukraine and throughout the world are doing a lot to secure my release and I am very grateful to them.
10 – I never anticipated such support because both in Ukraine and in the whole world right now there are plenty of problems besides mine.
11 – I am very aware of your concern and feel ashamed that from prison I myself can do almost nothing. I have therefore decided to fight in the only way available to me – through hunger strike.
12 – Every person who even once a day just thinks good things about me will give me faith and strength, while each who thinks badly will add to my determination and anger!
13 – I have never been weak and never will be! They cannot break my spirit.
14 – The main thing is to hold out in spirit, and my physical strength will recover.
15 – To President Poroshenko: “I will get through this; I ask you sincerely to please help Ukraine.”
16 – I have taken the decision to go on hunger strike myself and nobody pushed me into it.
17 – I have given my word that “Until the day I return to Ukraine, or until the last day of my life in Russia!” and I will not back down, otherwise what value would my words have?!
18 – To those Russians who demonstrated for her in Moscow: “You are the true heroes of Russia.”
19 – Russia and Ukraine will prevail over the powers of evil and malevolent.
20 – 48 Days on Hunger Strike: “I am on my feet and I’m feeling very lively.”
21 – 48 Days on Hunger Strike: “I am still looking forward to my future battles.”
22 – 48 Days on Hunger Strike: “Till the next time, till victory.”
23 – To Russians Imprisoned for demonstrating for her: “I am truly sorry that you now have to share the same experience as I do.”
24 – To President Poroshenko: “Nothing is forgotten, no one is forgotten.”
25 – To President Poroshenko: “I believe in Maidan and in our victory.”
26 – Yuliya Tymoshenko wrote “the enemy needs us to be weak”. These are very wise words.
27 – If she was to die because of her hunger strike: “If God has need for something else, then so be it … the loss of one fighter is a very great loss, but it is in no way a lost war! Ukraine will win!”
28 – Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!
Tags: #FreeSavchenko, Featured, Op-ed, Savchenko
