The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decided to expel Russia from the organization.
"At an extraordinary meeting this morning, the Committee of Ministers, in the context of the procedure initiated in accordance with Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe, decided that the Russian Federation, as of today, ceases to be a member of the Council of Europe after 26 years of membership," reads a statement on the Council of Europe website.
Russia joined the Council of Europe on February 28, 1996.
Earlier, the Council of Europe stressed that by their actions in Ukraine, the Russian authorities are depriving the Russian people of the benefits of the most modern system of human rights protection in the world, including the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights and a huge system of conventions.
"We remain determined to use all means at our disposal to provide support, assistance and legal means to the Ukrainian people in their fight against the aggressor and to continue to strive for peace on the basis of justice and international cooperation," the organization said
We recall that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, despite Moscow's attempts to avoid punishment, decided to expel the Russian Federation and also called for Ukraine to be given the means to protect its airspace.
Before that, Russia, having realized the inevitability of its expulsion, had itself submitted to Strasbourg an application for its own withdrawal.
