Ukraine threatened to boycott a "discredited" Council of Europe after the body's parliamentary assembly voted to lift a five year restrictions imposed on Russia's delegation over the annexation of Crimea.

The PACE assembly in Strasbourg voted by 118 to 62 in favour of a motion to limit the sanctions mechanism that had stripped the Russian delegation of voting rights following a late-night debate on Monday. There were ten abstentions.

The vote followed a plan signed off by foreign ministers of the 47-nation Council of Europe in May and paves the way for the Russian delegation to present its credentials and return to the chamber.

It is the first time an international body has lifted punitive measures imposed on Russia for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and subsequent invasion of eastern Ukraine.

It will allow Russia to participate in the election of a new secretary general for the Council of Europe on Wednesday.