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Russia maintains close contacts with Belarus on the case of Alexander Lapshin, but extradition of Russian nationals to third countries is unacceptable, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Friday, according to TASS agency.

"We insist that extradition of Russian citizens to third countries is inadmissible," she emphasized, commenting on the possible extradition of freelance journalist, Alexander Lapshin, from the territory of the Union State of Russia and Belarus to Azerbaijan.

"We maintain intensive contacts with the Belarusian Foreign Ministry and the relevant competent authorities of that country," the diplomat said, as quoted by the agency.

To remind, Alexander Lapshin was arrested on December 15 in Minsk and faces extradition to Azerbaijan over his visits to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) without securing approval of the Azerbaijani authorities. Lapshin’s name was placed on Baku government’s blacklist. The Azerbaijani prosecutor general issued an international warrant for Lapshin’s arrest. Lapshin is set appeal the extradition decision at the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus.