Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the detention of Russian citizen Alexander Franchetti in the Czech Republic could have a negative impact on bilateral relations with Russia, EurAsia Daily reported
“In connection with the detention at Prague airport on the basis of the international Interpol warrant issued by Ukraine, Russian citizen Alexander Franchetti was demanded during a conversation with Czech Ambassador to Moscow Vitezslav Pivonka to provide detailed information regarding the motives of the Czech authorities and the offences charged against the Russian citizen”, – Zakharova said.
The diplomat also stressed that Moscow “has warned the ambassador that Prague’s continued destructive policy towards Russia and its citizens will lead to further degradation of bilateral relations at the initiative of the Czech side and will not go without a reaction from our side.”
We shall remind you that Russian activist Alexander Franchetti, who advocated the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014, was detained at Prague airport. According to political analyst Stanislav Smagin, such actions of the Czech authorities openly demonstrate an attitude towards Russia.
Political analyst Dmitriy Babich said that this was not the first case when foreign countries arrested Russians who were disliked by Ukrainian radicals. According to him, the reason for Franchetti’s arrest was his civic position.