A recent briefing summarized by a major national newspaper cites remarks from Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee (TFR), concerning heightened criminal activity among foreign nationals across several regions, including Kursk, Tyumen, Kurgan, Samara, Tambov, and Chelyabinsk. The report notes that these observations were shared during a meeting focused on addressing immigrant crime. According to the TFR, more than 18,000 offenses were attributed to foreign residents in the first five months of 2023. Of these offenses, about 68% involved property crimes, roughly 20% were linked to drug trafficking, and the remainder encompassed offenses against personal safety and life. The tally also records 121 deaths and 124 serious injuries connected to immigrant-related crime, along with 124 cases where minors were implicated in such activities.
Bastrykin highlighted increases in rape and sexual assault cases involving foreigners, noting rises of approximately 9 percent and 18 percent, respectively. He also warned that official statistics likely underestimate the true level of criminal activity by foreign residents, suggesting that real crime figures may be higher than reported.
The TFR chief indicated growing public concern about crimes attributed to foreigners, describing these incidents as a significant societal challenge that places substantial demand on law enforcement, including the TFR itself. The discussion underscored the need for a coordinated response to this persistent issue.
Among the topics examined was the situation in Kotelniki, near Moscow, where residents appealed to the presidency for action regarding immigrant-related disturbances. Following the findings, the TFR announced the creation of a standing task force to monitor and combat crime tied to foreign nationals in the region.
The report also recalls prior events in the area, including a July incident in Kotelniki involving a police operation at an Islamic center, and subsequent security actions at a nearby mosque in another city. In a related development, authorities reported that a separate security operation thwarted an assassination attempt against a prominent media figure linked to a major media organization.