Israel issued a complaint to Russia after bodyguards for Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov were forced to strip as part of a weapons search during an official visit by the minister to the city of Nizhni Novgorod on Friday, Sept 28.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Miseznikov arrived at a hotel in the city to attend an economic conference, when members of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) asked the bodyguards to enter a room and disrobe in order to prove that they were not armed.

The Russian officials insisted on the search despite Miseznikov's explanations that they were part of an official ministerial delegation that was invited to the conference.

The Israeli Embassy in Moscow issued a complaint over the incident to the Russian Foreign Ministry and, in Israel, the Foreign Ministry issued a complaint to Russia's ambassador.