Three deputies from the far-right Alternative for Germany party visited Russian-occupied Crimea in April, using their diplomatic passports, according to German tabloid newspaper Bild.

"Deputies from AfD used their diplomatic passports to enter Russia without a visa and then fly from Moscow to Putin-annexed Crimea," the newspaper wrote.

Earlier, parliamentarians said that they went to the annexed peninsula "in private."

One member of this group, Udo Hemmelgarn, confirmed that they had used their diplomatic passports.

The report notes that three German deputies participated in an economic forum in Crimea in April.

The German Federal Foreign Office has repeatedly stated that trips to Crimea are "not recommended" although they cannot be banned by Berlin. In this case, the issue can concern a direct violation of the instructions according to which diplomatic passports can be used exclusively for official business trips.

The visit by AfD deputies to Crimea caused a protest from Kyiv.

Five deputies from the same party also attended an economic forum in Crimea last year.

op