MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Russia’s nationalist movement is divided over the Ukrainian conflict, a deputy head of the Interior Ministry's main anti-extremism department said on Monday.

"There is a visible split in the Russian nationalist movement amid the events in Ukraine," Vladimir Makarov told a meeting of the Russian presidential council for civil society and human rights.

The official said some members of Russia’s nationalist organizations are participating in combat actions alongside with Ukraine’s pro-nationalist volunteer battalions, while the others support Donetsk and Luhansk.

A range of measures has been taken by authorities in an effort to prevent the departure to Ukraine of the representatives of Russia’s nationalist organizations, he said.

Over the past three years, the number of extremism-related violent crimes committed by the nationalist organisations in Russia has been on decline, the official added.

"Criminal proceedings have been initiated over the three years against the prominent nationalist ideologists and leaders of autonomous pro-fascist groups that carried out the assaults," he said.