ANKARA

The Council of Europe on Friday said it has suspended Russia's rights of representation due to Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine.

“In line with the Statute of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers has today decided to suspend the Russian Federation from its rights of representation in the Committee of Ministers and in the Parliamentary Assembly with immediate effect as a result of the Russian Federation’s armed attack on Ukraine,” a council statement said.

The statement said that Russia remains a member of the Council of Europe and party to the relevant Council of Europe conventions, including the European Convention on Human Rights.

“Suspension is not a final measure but a temporary one, leaving channels of communication open,” it added.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine entered its second day on Friday, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital Kyiv from several directions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the military intervention on Thursday, just days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine.

He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy the neighboring country, but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to install a puppet government and said Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.