Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor on Friday suspended imports of strong alcohol from the Czech Republic following lethal poisoning cases in that country, Russia’s chief state sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko said on Friday.
“We have banned imports from the Czech Republic as of today,” Onishchenko said.
“As the Czech Republic has banned alcohol exports… we assume the ban may result in all those potentially dangerous products reaching the Russian market,” Onishchenko said.
A total of 23 people have died in the Czech Republic of methanol poisoning in the past two weeks and dozens have been hospitalized.
The Czech government on Thursday suspended distribution and exports of spirits with over 20 percent alcohol content under EU pressure.
Poland and Slovakia have also suspended alcohol imports from the Czech Republic.