(BRUSSELS) - The Slovenian EU presidency on Thursday urged Russia to let the British Council operate freely, voicing concern at "harassment" of staff in offices of the cultural body which have been forced to close.

"The EU deeply regrets in particular the harassment of British Council staff, as well as the administrative and other measures announced by the Russian authorities," the EU presidency said in a statement.

The British Council is suspending its operations in the Russian cities of Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, its chief executive Martin Davidson said in London Thursday.

"The Russian authorities have made it impossible for us to continue our work in Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg and I have therefore decided we will suspend our operations in both cities," he told reporters.

The head of the embattled Saint Petersburg bureau, Stephen Kinnock, confirmed earlier Thursday that the office was "temporarily closed" due to concerns about the safety and security of staff members after they were questioned by the FSB secret police and the tax police.

"The EU urges the Russian Federation to allow the British Council to operate freely and effectively in Russia and to take no further actions that might hinder its activities," the EU presidency statement said.

Russia's actions are "contrary to the spirit of the cultural cooperation Russia agreed to pursue" at the first EU-Russia council last October, said the EU presidency, which Slovenia assumed for a six-month term in January.

The EU also underlined "the valuable and important role" of the British Council "in fostering cooperation between the Russian Federation and the EU".

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