MOSCOW, May 5 (RAPSI) - A criminal case has been opened against Ukrainian political scientist Yuriy Romanenko who allegedly called for killing Russian journalists, RIA Novosti reports Tuesday citing official spokesman of Russia's Investigative Committee, Vladimir Markin.

According to Markin, at a conference at Harvard (Cambridge, Massachusets) in early April, Romanenko publicly claimed that “the armed forces of Ukraine must selectively and thoroughly destroy Russian journalists who cover the situation in southeastern Ukraine.”

Later, on April 5, Romanenko posted the speech on his Facebook page under the title “How we discussed Ukraine at Harvard.” His speech was also published in the media.

Investigators say that the statement contains violent elements such as calls to Ukrainian troops to kill the Russian journalists working there.

Romanenko’s statements also incite hatred toward Russian journalists as a social group, according to Markin.