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Russian delegation member attacked at Ankara event taken to hospital — embassy

The embassy stated that it would "properly draw the Turkish authorities attention to this outrageous incident"

ANKARA, May 4. /TASS/. A Russian delegation member who was attacked by a Ukrainian delegate at a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) in Ankara has been taken to the hospital as a precaution, the Russian embassy’s spokesperson Irina Kasimova told TASS.

"A Russian delegation member was attacked by a member of the Ukrainian delegation. Our staff member is currently at the hospital where he is being examined; he has also received consular assistance," she said.

The embassy stated that it would "properly draw the Turkish authorities attention to this outrageous incident."

The incident occurred at the Ankara hotel hosting a summit of parliament speakers from the Organization of the Black Sea Economic member states and the 61st PABSEC General Assembly. Earlier, a video was posted on social media showing a Ukrainian delegate spreading a flag and making a 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.

Acting head of Russia’s permanent delegation to the PABSEC Olga Timofeyeva, who is also taking part in the Ankara meeting, filmed how the incident started and showed the tense atmosphere at the hotel to a Russian TV host. Earlier on Thursday, members of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament) tried to disrupt the Russian delegation’s address at the PABSEC meeting, spreading out Ukraine’s flag and a black-red-blue tricolor behind the delegation’s members.

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