BERLIN, March 7. /TASS/. The German Foreign Ministry has toughened recommendations for fellow citizens and persons with dual citizenship regarding trips to Russia and now strongly recommends to refrain from them, the ministry said in a statement.

"Travel to the Russian Federation is strongly discouraged", the Foreign Ministry said. It recalled the warning against visiting cities located near the border with Ukraine, namely Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Krasnodar, Kursk and Rostov-on-Don.

Until now, the German ministry just recommend not to travel to Russia, but the word "strongly" appeared in its warning for the first time.