MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. The number of crimes that can be classified as extremist has risen amid the coronavirus pandemic, Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council Alexander Grebenkin said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.

"Amid the difficult social and economic situation, particularly caused by the coronavirus epidemic, we acknowledge an increase in extremist crimes," he said. According to the official, 263 crimes were reported in January-April, which is three times higher than the number registered in the same period in 2019. "Around a half of these crimes are relating to calls for extremism on the Internet. At the same time, almost 10% are violent crimes - hooliganism, threats of murder and battery on the grounds of political, ideological, racial, nationalistic or religious hatred," he explained.