As a guarantor of the peace agreement and member of the council in charge of its implementation, Russia has on several occasions warned High Representative Paddy Ashdown against taking steps that will lead to upsetting the still fragile balance in Bosnia-Herzegovina and harm the peace process in the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement was published by the Russian Embassy to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday evening.
Ashdown said in an interview with Bosnian state television late Wednesday evening that Russia had been involved in all consultations on measures against Republika Srpska before they were taken. The measures were agreed in the Peace Implementation Council and Moscow was involved in their adoption, he said.
Last week, Ashdown sacked nine lower-level Bosnian Serb officials for lack of cooperation with the Hague tribunal, and announced that the ministries of the interior and defence of the country's two entities - Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation - would be abolished.
The European Commission has expressed support for the punitive measures.