Russia joined the Council of Europe in 1996.

Moscow:

Russia’s overseas ministry mentioned Tuesday it was launching the process to exit the Council of Europe, as strain grew for Moscow’s expulsion from the pan-European rights group.

The ministry posted a press release on “launching the procedure to exit the Council of Europe” on its Telegram account, saying it had given notification of its departure to the Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric.

Ukraine on Monday demanded that Russia be instantly expelled from the Council of Europe, saying it had no proper to stay a member after sending troops to the pro-Western nation.

Russia was suspended from all its rights of illustration a day after tens of 1000’s of troops entered Ukraine on February 24.

The overseas ministry cited this “discriminatory” transfer in its assertion, saying that “in such conditions, our country will not remain in the Council of Europe.”

Pejcinovic Buric instructed AFP earlier this month that “more and more voices are demanding that the next step is the expulsion of the Russian Federation”.

Russia joined the Council of Europe in 1996.

“We part with such a Council of Europe without regret,” the overseas ministry mentioned Tuesday.

The ministry mentioned its exit would “not affect the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens” and that “the implementation of already adopted resolutions of the European Court of Human Rights will continue, if they do not contradict Russia’s Constitution”.