The Russian Investigative Committee (SKR) has opened a criminal case against Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov for attempts to prevent Russians from voting in the Russian presidential election. This was stated by the agency's official representative Svetlana Petrenko, according to the agency's Telegram channel.

The department's report states that on March 18, the day of the presidential elections in Russia, Ukrainian police blocked the entrances to the Russian embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Odessa, Kharkov, and Lvov. Russian citizens were thus prevented from taking part in the voting, the Investigative Committee of Russia clarified.

According to investigators, Avakov gave the corresponding order. The Russian agency opened a case against the Ukrainian official based on Article 12 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which allows foreigners who committed crimes outside of Russia but against the interests of Russians to be held criminally liable.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, called the actions of the Ukrainian side unprecedented and contrary to international human rights standards, RIA Novosti reported on March 18. She emphasized that Kiev's measures against Russians also contradict the provisions of the 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

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Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin at polling station No. 1306 in Moscow / Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP

The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a case against the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine