The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called on the international community to hold Russia accountable for use of violence against its people and aggression against the peoples of neighboring countries.

"The protests in the Russian Federation on January 31, 2021 were marked by a new round of human rights violations and gross violence against protesters, as well as journalists covering these events. Another act of suppressing the rights of Russian citizens to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech, arrests of opposition members and media representatives, persecution of those who disagree with the aggressive policy of the Russian authorities at home and in the international arena are alarming evidence of further restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms and Russia's violation of its international obligations in the field of human rights," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary published on the website on Monday.

The ministry drew attention to the fact that the Russian authorities, cultivating lawlessness and violence in the country and grossly violating the rights of their citizens, are using similar methods and approaches in international politics, undermining international peace and security.

"Such actions cannot remain unanswered by the international community. The time has come for more decisive action and accountability for violent actions against one's own people and aggression against the peoples of neighboring countries. It is well known that impunity breeds violence. That is why all international mechanisms of pressure, including sanctions, for violation of human rights must be used without delay," the department said.

The Foreign Ministry said that today the price of calls to continue the dialogue with Russia is the new beaten and detained protesters who stand up for human rights and democracy, and further unwinding of the violence spiral in the Russian Federation.