Vienna, 23 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Russian members of parliament were sharply criticised on Thursday for their role in the war against Ukraine at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"Today some parliamentarians are aiding and abetting the crime of aggression," the president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Margareta Cederfelt, said in Vienna.

In her opening speech, the Swedish lawmaker also accused her Russian colleagues of undermining civil rights, the media and elections.

The assembly's meeting coincides with Friday's anniversary of Russia's full invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24 2022.

Although dozens of countries had called for Russian delegates to be denied visas, Austria allowed nine delegates from Moscow to enter, arguing that it was legally obliged to do since the intergovernmental organization is headquartered in Vienna.

Six of the Russian delegates are subject to EU sanctions, according to the Austrian Foreign Ministry.

Ukrainian lawmakers did not attend the meeting in protest against Russian participation. However, they travelled to Vienna to lobby in bilateral talks for the suspension of the Russian representatives in the Parliamentary Assembly.

At the meeting, a Slovak lawmaker read out a speech by the Ukrainian delegation calling the Russian delegates war criminals. Their presence was "an insult to the victims of their atrocities", they said.

Lithuanian delegates also stayed away from the meeting in solidarity with Ukraine.

The OSCE, with its 57 member states, aims to prevent conflicts and strengthen democracy. It is the only regional security forum where NATO members such as the United States regularly meet with Russia.

No decisions are expected to be reached at the two-day meeting.