Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decision on his country’s withdrawal from the partial and extended agreements of the Council of Europe.

In accordance with this decision, Russia suspended its participation in the International Cooperation Group on Drugs and Drug Addiction, in the 1990 Partial Agreement establishing the European Commission for Democracy through Law, and in the Open Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe. Council of Europe for Forecasting, Prevention and Relief in the Event of Natural Disasters and Technological Catastrophes.

The decision to withdraw also concerned the European Fund for Supporting the Production of Collaborative Films and the Distribution of Cinematographic and Audiovisual Works, the European Audiovisual Observatory, the Council of Europe Agreement on Sports, as well as the termination of Russia’s participation in the Extended Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and the Agreement on an Observatory for the Teaching of History in Europe.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the Russian Security Council, said earlier that his country withdrew from the Council of Europe “with a sense of relief.”

It is worth noting that since the Western powers began to impose economic sanctions against it, after the start of the military operation against Ukraine on February 24 last year, Moscow announced its withdrawal from many international agreements, especially those that it signed with European countries, on military, defense, financial, economic and trade cooperation.