Ukraine's ‘Joan of Arc' Swapped for 2 Russians: Lawyer

Nadiya Savchenko was captured by Russians in 2014

Russia on Wednesday released a military pilot dubbed Ukraine's "Joan of Arc" in an exchange for two Russian prisoners of war, her lawyer said Wednesday, NBC News reported. 

Nadiya Savchenko, an Iraq war veteran, was captured by Russians during fighting involving pro-Kremlin rebels in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

She was convicted in March of involvement in the death of two state TV journalists during a shelling. Savchenko, 35, pleaded not guilty, while her lawyers said the case was fabricated by the Russian court.

In Ukraine, she is seen as a symbol of resistance to what most consider an invasion by Vladimir Putin's forces.

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