Russia has had a ban on its right to vote at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)<br /><br /> The chamber said it was in condemnation of Russia’s grave ‘violations of international law in respect of Ukraine’.<br /><br /> In response to the diplomatic sanction, Russia’s delegation head Alexey Pushkov said he and his colleagues will boycott the assembly in protest.<br /><br /> “We had informed our colleagues that in the case of our credentials, our voting rights and the right to be present in the leading bodies of the Parliamentary Assembly – like the bureau, the standing committee – are withdrawn, even for a short period, then the Russian delegation stops its presence in the Parliamentary Assembly, leaves this session.”<br /><br /> Twenty-four hours earlier it had criticised Russia for funding and arming rebels in eastern Ukraine.<br /><br /> On Wednesday PACE also backed an amendment calling on Russia to free Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko in 24 hours or turn her over to a third party. Savchenko was detaine
