Russia has lodged a "strong protest" with Croatia after Foreign Minister, Gordan Grlic-Radman, called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, the Russian Embassy in Zagreb said in a statement.  

Insulting language and unfounded accusations against the President of the Russian Federation are absolutely unacceptable, the statement said. Russia also protested because Grlic-Radman had referred to the Russian government as a regime and wished that it would not stay in power for long.

Such irresponsible behavior of a representative of the Croatian leadership is destroying the tissue of Russian-Croatian relations, which are marking 30 years this year, the statement said. The government in Zagreb was called upon to refrain from triggering negative consequences for relations between the two countries.

In conclusion, the Embassy stressed the need for adherence to the universal rules of international communication and diplomatic etiquette. Last Wednesday, speaking in an interview with state radio, Grlic-Radman said Putin was a war criminal and expressed hope that “the Russian autocratic regime” would not last for long.