Russia expressed perplexity on November 16 over the shift of accent in a document by the European Union on events in the breakaway republic of Chechnya.

The document, adopted recently by the EU Council of Foreign Ministers, "applies the criteria of international humanitarian law to the situation in Chechnya, which is strictly Russia's internal affair," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said.

"This is wrong from a judicial point of view. Moreover, it's hardly circumspect, given the hopes of a criminal enclave in Chechnya for receiving political indulgence," he said.

The spokesman disputed EU doubts over "Russia's adherence to humanitarian principles."

This "contradicts the realities of the past few days. Assistance was efficiently distributed both in liberated districts and in temporary settlement areas for the relocated people," Rakhmanin said, referring to refugees fleeing the republic following a federal offensive against rebels there.