SVETLOGORSK /Kaliningrad region/, August 15. /TASS/. Moscow will consider Kiev’s move to include Russian politicians in the so-called "Magnitsky List" as a blatant violation of international law, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday, commenting on the Ukrainian authorities’ plan to compile a blacklist similar to the United States’ Magnitsky List.

"The blacklist that the Kiev regime plans to compile, which can be compared to the Magnitsky List, is just another attempt to introduce unilateral restrictions that run counter to international law and the practice of civilized interaction between states," Zakharova said. "It seems that the Ukrainian authorities are following the bad example from overseas as they are ready to violate the principle of presumption of innocence by accusing foreign nationals of offences that no one has proved," the Russian diplomat added.

According to her, the Ukrainian version of the "Magnitsky List" demonstrates "an inquisition-like approach to justice, which is based on the principle of collective punishment for non-existent crimes." "We will consider the possible inclusion of politicians in such a list as a blatant violation of international legislation on the immunity of high-ranking officials of sovereign states," Zakharova stressed.

"We are confident that the actual reason behind this initiative is that Ukraine wants to obtain new opportunities to pursue the policy of impunity and remain silent about the crimes of neo-Nazis and extremists, who are responsible for the deaths of people on Maidan [during the events that took place in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev between November 2013 and February 2014 - TASS], in Odessa’s Trade Union House [on May 2, 2014] and southeastern Ukraine," Zakharova said.

Ukrainian Justice Minister Pavel Petrenko said earlier that Kiev planned to propose to its international partners that "a separate sanctions list similar to the Magnitsky List be compiled," which would include persons allegedly involved in abducting Ukrainian citizens in Russia and depriving them of liberty.