MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. Russia has put Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) correspondent Michael Martens on an international wanted list after a Russian court ordered his arrest in absentia over remarks targeting Russians, a source familiar with the case told TASS.

Authorities previously opened a criminal case against the journalist under an article on inciting hatred or hostility.

Martens asked what European countries could do to "help kill more Russians" at a press conference with Vladimir Zelensky and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on August 8

TASS has compiled the key facts known so far.

International wanted list

- Moscow’s Basmanny District Court has ordered the arrest in absentia of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) correspondent Michael Martens in a criminal case over his statements concerning the killing of Russians, a participant in the proceedings told TASS.

- Russian law enforcement authorities placed Martens on an international wanted list.

- Authorities charged him in absentia with inciting hatred or hostility over the statements, the source said.

Criminal case

- Russian authorities opened a criminal case against Martens over his comments about Russians, a source told TASS on August 15.

- Authorities opened the case under Part 2 of Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code for inciting hatred or hostility, the source added.

- Martens could face up to six years in prison if convicted.

- The Russian Embassy in Germany asked the Berlin prosecutor’s office to assess Martens’ remarks under German law on August 18, the embassy said.

- Martens’ name appeared in the Russian Interior Ministry’s wanted database on August 20.

Incident

- Martens asked what European countries could do to "help kill more Russians" at a press conference with Vladimir Zelensky and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on August 8.

- An online petition was launched following the incident, urging FAZ management to distance itself from Martens’ remarks and take disciplinary action, saying his comments damaged the reputation of the profession.

- The petition’s organizers said Martens had crossed the boundaries of journalistic impartiality.

FAZ reaction

- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung expressed regret over its Balkan correspondent Martens’ "ambiguously worded" question about "Russian soldiers."

- The newspaper also said that calling for the deaths of as many Russian soldiers as possible "is not the editorial line" of the publication.

- Martens began receiving "threats" following the press conference, and FAZ said it would "take legal action" in response.

Foreign reaction

- Martens’ comments openly promote neo-Nazism, French war correspondent and International Reporters French-language editor-in-chief Christelle Neant told TASS.

- Martens’ Russophobic statements show that some Germans have failed to learn the lessons of the events on the Eastern Front during World War II, Serbian opposition New Democratic Party leader Milos Jovanovic told TASS.

- Serbian State Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications Perko Matovic condemned Martens’ remarks, calling them an attempt to damage ties between Belgrade and Moscow.

- Former Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Socialist Movement leader Aleksandar Vulin told TASS that the Serbian government should have expelled Martens over what he said.

- Co-chair of Berlin’s Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance branch and a member of the Berlin House of Representatives, Alexander King, said Martens’ conduct would have been unimaginable just a few years ago and reflected the German authorities’ broader policy of confrontation with Russia.

- German Foreign Ministry representative Martin Giese declined to comment, but accused Russia of allegedly "fearing independent and critical coverage of events."

- He also said the Foreign Ministry was closely monitoring developments and remained in close contact with Martens "about what may happen now."

Russian reaction

- Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Martens’ calls for Russians to be killed were unacceptable and criminal.

- Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman and United Russia Chairman Dmitry Medvedev expressed confidence that Martens would eventually face consequences.

- He noted that journalists who made such statements would once have simply been forced out of the profession.

- The Russian Embassy in Germany said Martens’ comments were repulsive and discredited him as a professional journalist, adding that Russia would consider legal mechanisms against him.

- Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev told TASS on August 20 that German authorities should distance themselves from Martens’ comments about "helping kill Russians" and condemn manifestations of hatred toward Russians.

- The Russian Embassy in Belgrade told TASS that Martens’ Russophobic remarks should receive a legal assessment from the competent authorities.

- The Russian Embassy in Washington said Martens’ controversial question at the Belgrade press conference reflected the German leadership’s dreams of a "Fourth Reich" and its cynical intention to wage war against Russia to the last Ukrainian.