Earlier Saturday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov told Interfax news agency that it would be premature to speak of a role for Russia in a possible U.N. contingent.
Mikhail Fedotov, an adviser to President Medvedev on human rights issues, told a news conference this week that the men who assaulted Oleg Kashin "were clearly not hooligans, it was a contract attack".
"Improved living conditions, including greater security and rule of law, should be encouraged in Helmand and nationwide if we are to help poor farming communities to support themselves, " said UNODC's director Yury Fedotov.