All news

Russian Interior Ministry predicts surge in opposition public activity in some regions

Competent specialists from the ministry’s head office have been dispatched to these regions

MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. The Russian Interior Ministry is forecasting an upsurge in opposition public activity in the run-up to the September 13 elections in some regions, the head of the Interior Ministry’s chief department for public order and interaction with regional executive authorities, Yuri Valyayev, has said.

"In a number of regions, such as the Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod and Voronezh regions we anticipate a surge in public activity in the run-up to the annual Election Day in view of the opposition politicians’ wish to gain a firmer foothold in the bodies of executive power," Valyayev said at a meeting of the Central Election Commission on Wednesday.

Competent specialists from the ministry’s head office have been dispatched to these regions, he said.

On the voting day "more than 124,000 police staff, 2,000 Interior Ministry troops and 16,500 members of police support groups and 3,000 representatives of Cossack communities will maintain security."

In the course of the election campaign in regions 1,700 reports of violations have been registered and 34 criminal proceedings launched. There were 11,000 mass events, including four unauthorized ones. Valyayev said in most cases pickets were distributing leaflets and handouts.