Russia summons German envoy over lawmaker's meeting with Chechen exile

MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - ‌Russia's foreign ​ministry ​said on Monday it had summoned the German ambassador over a meeting in Kyiv between ‌a German lawmaker and a Chechen separatist ⁠who Moscow says leads a "terrorist" organisation.

Russia said it had lodged a ‌complaint with German Ambassador ‌Alexander Lambsdorff over what it said were talks between Bundestag deputy Roderich Kiesewetter and Akhmed Zakayev, ​whom Moscow says leads the outlawed "Chechen Republic of Ichkeria".

The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria won de facto ⁠independence from Moscow after the first Chechen War in the mid‑1990s, but ​its leadership later went into exile.

Ichkeria is the historical name for Russia's southern region of ​Chechnya, which was devastated by ‌two bloody wars between Russian troops and Chechen separatists following the Soviet Union's collapse ⁠in 1991.

Russia designates Ichkeria as a terrorist organisation and treats any related structures or representatives as outlawed.

"A strong ⁠protest has been expressed with the ambassador regarding the recent meeting ​in Kyiv," the foreign ministry said, adding that Moscow viewed the contacts as interference in Russia’s internal affairs and warned ‌Berlin of "negative consequences" for actions it described as hostile.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office ‌in Berlin called the allegations "completely unfounded and baseless".

(Reporting ⁠by Reuters; Writing by ‌Anastasia Teterevleva and ​Anna Peverieri; Additional reporting by Alexander Ratz in Berlin; editing by Vladimir Soldatkin and Ros ‌Russell)

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