Deputy of European Parliament from Latvia denied permission into Russia

© AP Photo Archive/LUXPRESS/Jean-Claude Ernst

Sandra Kalniete (right).

Sandra Kalniete — deputy of the European Parliament from Latvia, who arrived in Russia to attend the funeral of Boris Nemtsov, has not been admitted into Russia because of her "anti-Russian activities and in retaliation for sanctions taken by the European Union against a number of Russian officials," spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Lukashevich said on Tuesday.

"The Latvian side had been warned about the Russian act beforehand," the spokesman said.

"The reason of the arrival of the above-mentioned deputy of the European parliament was no other than provocation," Lukashevich said.

Sandra Kalniete arrived in Moscow late on March 2 to attend the funeral of Boris Nemtsov. She was detained at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, where her passport was taken away for checks. Afterwards, she was informed that she was denied permission to visit Russia.