Savchenko thanks Poles for support

The Jan Karski Society, based in the southern Polish city of Kielce, awarded Savchenko the Jan Karski Eagle award for "her tempered heart in the fight for human dignity and pride".

“She was kidnapped from the territory of her country, falsely accused and imprisoned in Russia, despite the protests of the whole civilised world. Her attitude in a Russian prison sets an example that man can be deprived of life, but cannot be broken,” the society wrote in a statement announcing the award in mid-March.

Writing from her prison cell in Russia, Savchenko thanked the Society and “all of Poland” for their support.

“I am immensely grateful for the fact that in a difficult time for Ukraine, you are good neighbours. I sincerely thank you, that in this historic time, you are looking in the same direction as the Ukrainians – toward democratic values.

"I would really like for friendly relations to continue developing between us. I am sure that we will do everything in our power to uphold the friendship between our peoples and nations,” Savchenko wrote.

Savchenko was found guilty on Tuesday of charges connected with the deaths of two Russian journalists.

She was accused of directing artillery fire in an operation in eastern Ukraine, as a result of which the journalists died.

Savchenko denied the charges, and her lawyer claimed that she had been kidnapped by pro-Russian rebels prior to the deaths of the journalists.

Poland's foreign minister criticised the Tuesday ruling by the Russian court.

“This is a kind of terrorism as opposed to humanism, because this is a case that should never have even seen the light of day,” Witold Waszczykowski told reporters while on a visit to Minsk, Belarus. (rg/pk)