The Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova considered that the Council of Europe turned into a NATO propaganda tool a long time ago.

On Tuesday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted in favor of Russia's withdrawal from the organization with 216 votes in support.

Earlier in the day, Russia sent a withdrawal notice signed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asking to leave the council.

A tool of NATO propaganda 

"This organization [Council of Europe] became just a tool of NATO propaganda and I didn’t missay now," expressed Zakharova, commenting on Russia’s withdrawal from the organization amid the military operation in Ukraine.

In an interview for Sputnik radio, Zakharova pointed out that "the structures of the [NATO] alliance and the member states of the alliance through the appropriate mechanisms of NATO formed the agenda in the Council of Europe in many ways."

The Spokesperson stressed that there is absolutely nothing left from equal and effective work in the Council of Europe, adding that this organization has become a convenient platform for the implementation of NATO's information and political campaigns.

Russia parting Council without regret

Ukraine had demanded that Russia be immediately expelled from the group, claiming that it had "no right" to remain a member following the start of its military operation in the country.

Russia was stripped of all its rights of representation the day after the operation began on February 24.

Moscow's Foreign Ministry slammed the move as discriminatory, saying, "In such conditions, our country will not remain in the Council of Europe."

Russia has been a member of the group since 1996, but it said it was parting without regret.

The Ministry assured that its exit would not affect the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens, highlighting that the implementation of their already adopted resolutions of the European Court of Human Rights would continue if they do not contradict Russia's constitution.