Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, who is charged with involvement in the death of Russian journalists, is not feeling very well as her sentence is being read, Nikolai Polozov, a lawyer for the defendant, told reporters on Monday.

"Nadia's health is now better than it was before, but her blood pressure is low today, and her legs are very swollen, and therefore, she periodically has to sit down as her sentence is being read. She cannot stand for health reasons, as the entire sentencing is being read," Polozov said.

The sentence being handed down to Savchenko, who was found guilty of killing Russian journalists and illegally crossing the Russian border, is being read in the Donetsk City Court on Monday.

An Interfax correspondent has reported from the courtroom that the defendant is sitting on a bench, as the sentence is being read, and rarely rises to discuss something with her defense lawyers.

Under the legislation, court sentences are to be heard standing unless the court makes a decision otherwise.

The Federal Penitentiary Service told Interfax earlier that Savchenko's health allows her to listen to the sentence being read while standing.