MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. The Supreme Court of Russia will review the request from the Prosecutor General’s Office to recognize the Azov paramilitary unit as a terrorist organization and to outlaw its operation in Russia on May 26, according to the Ministry of Justice website.

"The administrative case on recognition of Ukraine’s Azov paramilitary nationalist association as a terrorist organization and prohibition of its operation in the Russian Federation has been scheduled for court hearing on May 26, 10:00, in the Supreme Court building," the website reads.

Under the Russian law, the Federal Security Service (FSB) prepares a proposal to recognize an organization as terrorist, and sends it to the Prosecutor General’s Office. The Office then files a lawsuit to a court. International organizations can be deemed terrorist only by the Supreme Court of Russia.

Members of an organization deemed terrorist are subject to legal prosecution. Founders and leaders are punished with imprisonment of between 15 and 20 years with a fine of 1 million rubles, while common members are punished with imprisonment of between 5 and 10 years with a fine of up to 500,000 rubles. Those who voluntarily left the organization before the investigation started, are freed of criminal responsibility.