MOSCOW, May 10. /TASS/. Moscow believes that a Ukrainian lawmaker’s attack on a Russian delegation member during a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) was a provocation, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday.

"It was certainly another provocation," she noted. "Apart from other things, it was totally disrespectful of the host country, Turkey, and lawmakers from other member states of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation," Zakharova added.

The incident occurred at the Ankara hotel serving as the venue for a two-day summit of parliamentary speakers from member states of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and the 61st PABSEC General Assembly. A video was posted on social media showing a Ukrainian delegate unfurling a flag and making some kind of statement, while a Russian representative ran up to the Ukrainian and grabbed the flag from him, which caused a brief struggle and an exchange of blows. The Russian representative was hit several times in the face and on the head before security guards broke things up. He was later taken to the hospital but quickly discharged.