Terrorism in Russia up 6%, extremism down 14% in 2023 - Russian Interior Ministry

MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Russia has recorded a 6% increase in terrorism-related crimes and a 14% decrease in extremism in 2023, an Interior Ministry document on the state of crime in Russia in January-December said.

"[A total of] 2,382 crimes of a terrorist nature (up 6.7%) and 1,340 crimes of an extremist character (down 14.4%) were registered in January-December 2023," the report said.

Out of the total number of registered terrorism-related crimes, 1,098 (up 29%) were carried out this year, including 213 foiled terror plots and attempts (up 76%), and 223 (down 31.6%) which took place abroad, statistics said.

The number of crimes related to illegal arms trafficking dropped 12.8% compared to 2022, to 19,400. Last year also saw 31.5% (578 crimes) fewer recorded instances of stealing and extorting weapons, ammunition, explosive substances and devices.

There was also a 5.5% decrease in financial crimes; their number surpassed 105,000. Losses from such crimes (in adjudicated and suspended criminal cases) amounted to 311.1 billion rubles.