Deputies have introduced a bill in the State Duma banning the wearing of niqabs and any other clothing that covers the face. Examples cited include the ban on wearing such clothing in Central Asian countries.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is going to take advantage of the current contradictions between Moscow and Baku to incite hatred on ethnic grounds. The diplomat claims that they are planning to use sabotage raids by mercenaries from Russia.
"According to the information we have, the Security Service of Ukraine intends to use the current Russian-Azerbaijani contradictions to incite hatred and enmity on ethnic grounds. In particular, we know about plans to use defectors from Russia who are ready to carry out sabotage against citizens, missions and cultural sites of Azerbaijan under the Russian flag for a reward," Zakharova said.
The plan is allegedly to "spread viral information about some kind of Russian aggression in the Azerbaijani, Turkish and European media space."