On September 29, Russian and separatist media mockingly distorted a comment made by a Ukrainian politician and pilot who is now being tried in Russia for killing two Russian journalists.
The reports said that Nadiya Savchenko had decided to give evidence in Russian. RIA Novosti quoted her as saying: “It is difficult for me to speak in Russian, but as I have pains in my tongue and ears I will give evidence in Russian, and if I forget any words I will ask the interpreter for help.”
Some media distorted her comments by mockingly and incorrectly reporting,“Savchenko had decided to give evidence in Russian because she had pains in her tongue and ears from the Ukrainian language.”
A similar line was picked up by Nakanune.ru, Vzgliad, Zvezda, and others, though none ran her actual quote.
What in fact Savchenko actually said was (at 01:07 in the video below): “It is very difficult for me to speak in Russian. My tongue and ears have become tired during these eighteen months [of imprisonment]; it is even more difficult to divide thoughts in phrases for the interpreter. I will try to give evidence in Russian, and if I forget any words, I will ask the interpreter.” She said nothing of “pains” from the Ukrainian language.
