MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. Countries of the European Union refused to extradite around 100 criminals to Russia in 2022 and 2023, Valery Kalachev, chief of the National Central Bureau of Interpol of the Russian Interior Ministry, said in an interview with TASS.

"Since the beginning of 2023, requests from Russian law enforcement agencies for the extradition of around 40 people wanted in Russia for committing crimes of various degrees of gravity who were detained in the territory of foreign states have been turned down. Most of the refusals came from Poland - 10. In all, the European Union countries refused to extradite around 100 criminals in 2022 and 2023," he said.

According to Kalachev, in defiance of common sense some Interpol members opt to let criminals stay in their countries exposing their own citizens to real danger and creating additional burden for their law enforcement agencies who have to keep an eye on these individuals.

In all, more than 10,000 people are on the Interpol wanted list at Russia’s request. "In the first six months of 2023 alone, 350 suspects or those facing charges were put on the wanted list," he added.