Russia Calls on UNESCO to Take Action Regarding Detained Citizen

Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education Valeriy Falkov stated that they have requested UNESCO to take action regarding the detention of Russian citizen Anna Novikova in France. Falkov mentioned that he discussed the matter with UNESCO Director-General Halid el-Anani and asked for necessary steps to be taken. As the founder of the 'SOS Donbass' association, Novikova was involved in aid efforts for civilians in the Donbass region. The French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Novikova and two other members of the association were detained on charges of “collaborating with a foreign state” and “conspiring to commit a crime”.Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously stated that they would make every effort to secure Novikova's release as soon as possible.