Members of the Ukrainian and Russian delegations got into a scuffle at a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) in Ankara, representatives of the Ukrainian delegation said on their social media pages.
According to MP Oleksiy Movchan, during the meeting of the speakers of national parliaments, the head of the Russian delegation, Olga Timofeyeva, was given the floor to speak. She pinned a St George's ribbon on her jacket.
"Our delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine unfurled the flags of Ukraine to condemn Russian aggression and the terrorist regime. Russian deputies started snatching our flags. A clash broke out," Movchan said.
MP Lyubov Shpak noted that the Ukrainian "response was strong".
"These deputies (from Russia - Ed.) are on the sanctions lists of key countries. Those who are responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians and the destruction of our country. Those who kill civilians, who kill children... We have to do everything to drive them out of any territories of influence," Shpak emphasised.
According to MP Yuliya Klymenko, the Russian delegates told the audience that a "civil war" was going on in Ukraine and that Donbas was "Russian territory". They also spread fakes about the presence of biolabs in Ukraine.
MP Vadym Ivchenko added that the Ukrainian delegation to the PABSEC "by the votes of two-thirds of the participants included the issue of confirming the mandates of the members of the Russian delegation on the agenda". Currently, the Russians have two mandates in the organisation, while other countries have 5-10, said MP Oleksandr Marikovskyy.
"Unfortunately, countries such as Armenia and Serbia still vote with Russia. But most countries still defend democratic values and are on the side of Ukraine," Ivchenko said.