President Petro Poroshenko vowed on Wednesday that Ukraine would take back the annexed peninsula of Crimea and rebel-held territory in the east of the country following pilot Nadiya Savchenko's return from Russia.

"Just as we brought back Nadiya, we will bring back Donbass and Crimea under Ukraine's control," Poroshenko said as he awarded Savchenko with a Hero of Ukraine order, his country's highest honour.