Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has criticised the decision made by the Council of Europe to suspend Russia's membership.
Describing the suspension as "politicised," she argued that it merely confirms that the Council of Europe has essentially become an "obedient tool of the Western bloc and its satellites."
"Well, that is not our choice," she said, adding that Russia is soon going to determine its further "steps." "Those who inspired and supported this flawed decision will bear all responsibility for the destruction of the common legal and humanitarian framework on the continent, and for the inevitable detrimental consequences for the Council of Europe itself."
She also pointed out that, for eight years since the 2014 Euromaidan coup in Ukraine, the Council of Europe has not condemned the actions of the "nationalist Kiev regime that perpetrated genocide of the residents of Donbass."
However, Zakharova noted, when Russia finally decided to put an end to these atrocities, the Council of Europe displayed remarkable "zeal and efficiency" by swiftly joining the "chorus of Russia's accusers."
Earlier this week, Russia formally recognised the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR respectively), making this move amid the sudden escalation in the region as Ukrainian forces intensified shelling of the republics' territory.
Soon after, Moscow launched a military operation in Ukraine after DPR and LPR authorities asked for assistance to defend themselves from attacks by Ukrainian troops that sparked a mass evacuation of women and children from the republics to Russia.
The goal of this operation, as Moscow stressed, is not to occupy Ukraine but rather to neutralise its military capacity and to "rid it of Nazis," with precision strikes being carried out against the Ukrainian military infrastructure.