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Moscow demands Prague provide details about detention of Russian national — diplomat

According to Maria Zakharova, the Russian side warned the Czech envoy that the continuation "of Prague’s destructive policy regarding Russia and its citizens will lead to further deterioration" of bilateral relations and will not be left unanswered

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/TASS

MOSCOW, September 13. /TASS/. The Russian side has demanded that the Czech Republic provide detailed information regarding the reasons and conditions of the recent detention of Russian national Alexander Franchetti in Prague, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Monday.

"In light of the detention of Russian citizen Alexander Franchetti in the Prague airport based on the Interpol international order issued by Ukraine, we demanded in the conversation with Czech Ambassador to Moscow Vitezslav Pivonka to provide detailed information about the motives behind the actions of the Czech authorities and the charges filed against the Russian citizen," she stressed.

According to her, the Russian side warned the Czech envoy that the continuation "of Prague’s destructive policy regarding Russia and its citizens will lead to further deterioration" of bilateral relations and will not be left unanswered.

The diplomat stressed that the Russian Embassy in Prague sent the relevant note to the Czech Foreign Ministry. "We expect the Czech side to quickly react to our appeals and provide answers to our questions," she underlined.

On Sunday, the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic said that Franchetti had been detained at Prague’s international airport. According to local police sources, he was apprehended on an international warrant issued by Ukraine. Media reports said that the Russian’s detention could be linked to his active participation in the 2014 events around Crimea’s reunification with Russia. Russian Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin handed down instructions to look into the grounds for Franchetti’s detention.

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