MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/. The situation at several sections of Russia’s state border is difficult, with threats of armed conflicts and incidents amid heightening pressure from the United States and its allies, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexander Grebenkin said in an interview with the Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily.
"It is necessary to say that the situation at several sections of the state border is still difficult. It develops amid the buildup of military political, economic and information pressure on Russia from the United States and its allies," he said. "In the recent time, we have been seeing a considerable invigoration of NATO’s military and other activities in the Black and Azov Seas region, in the Western direction and in the Arctic region."
"The level of threats at the border linked with possible armed conflicts and incidents at the state border is not declining," he noted.
"There are risks that members of international terrorist and extremist organizations, as well as subversive activities and terror attacks tools may infiltrate into Russia," Grebenkin said. "It stems from the fact that the number of hotbeds of military political instability near our border is increasing."
According to the Russian Security Council senior official, more than 16,000 people on the international and Russian wanted lists have been detained at international communications channels in the past three years. As many as 112 of them were detained for terrorist activities. "Apart from that, more than 28,000 foreign citizens suspected of the involvement in the activities of international terrorist organizations have been banned from entering Russia for a long period," he said, adding that more than 600 firearms, about 500 kilograms of explosive substances and more than 120,000 munitions were seized in border territories.
Among other threats, Grebenkin cited "attempts at poaching in the Far Eastern and Arctic region, in the Barents, Caspian, Black, and Azov Seas." "More than 800 tonnes of aquatic bioresources and products were seized this year alone. Twelve Russian and foreign shis and more than 390 boats were detained," he said.