VIENNA, July 4. /TASS/. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro strongly condemned Tuesday’s attack on Russian reporter Yelena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov and expressed hope that the Russian government would conduct an investigation.

"I strongly condemn the brutal attack," she said in a statement. "I expect the Russian authorities will do everything in their power to bring those responsible to justice."

Milashina and Nemov were assaulted by unidentified assailants in the southern Russian region of Chechnya. The victims have now been taken to a hospital in another southern Russian region, North Ossetia. According to North Ossetian human rights commissioner Tamerlan Tsgoev, both suffered multiple fractures and the lawyer was also stabbed. Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has reached out to the Chechen Investigative Committee, Interior Ministry and prosecutor’s office in connection with the incident. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the incident as "a very serious attack requiring very vigorous action" and said that the president had been briefed about the assault.