Germany's far-right AfD admonishes Bavarian MPs for Russia trip

The federal leadership of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has issued a warning to three of its members in Bavaria's regional parliament for travelling to Russia for the presidential election in March.

The three members of the Bavarian parliament - Ulrich Singer, Andreas Jurca and Elena Roon - said they had travelled to Russia as election observers at the invitation of the Russian government.

Jurca explained that the aim was to assess the organization and conduct of the elections, which featured no serious opposition to President Vladimir Putin.

While the trip was organized by the inviting party, Jurca said they "decided to bear the costs ourselves, precisely to avoid any accusations of bias."

Election observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), on the other hand, were not allowed in Russia.

The AfD, which opposes arms deliveries to Ukraine, has come under growing scrutiny for its potential links to Moscow.

Putin was confirmed in office for the fifth time with 87.28% of the vote. Like other Western leaders, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz refrained from offering Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulations.

According to a German government spokeswoman, the election was "neither free nor fair."

The AfD federal leadership had recommended that the three MPs not make the trip to Russia. They have now been rebuked for their actions, according to a party spokesman.

The federal leadership office referred to the party statutes, according to which members who violate the party's principles or rules can face further disciplinary measures in the event of a repeat offence or comparable behaviour.

Such disciplinary measures may include suspension from office and, in the worst case, expulsion from the party.