MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. Over 900 criminals have been apprehended thanks to the facial recognition system in the Moscow Metro in six months, Metro press service told TASS Tuesday.

"Over 900 suspected criminals have been apprehended since early September, when facial recognition system entered full effect," the press service said.

According to Metro security service head Andrei Kichigin, the facial recognition system does not include personal data, "it does not know any names or surnames."

"It only checks people who are wanted, if a person is in the law enforcement database. If they are not there, there is nothing to compare to," Kichigin said.

According to IT expert Fyodor Zhernovoi, facial recognition systems not only provide more opportunities for criminals search but can also be used to develop services to enhance the comfort of loyalty program subscribers, targeted advertisement and others.

"Unfortunately, we look at these systems from a negative point of view, presuming that we are being watched. However, tracking systems capable of watching us exist already. Notably, commercial companies have much greater capabilities in this field, but we will always turn to the state, if we need to have something tracked or get protection," Zhernovoi said.

On September 18, 2020, Moscow Deputy Mayor Maxim Liksutov announced that turnstiles with facial recognition payment option will be placed at every Moscow Metro station in spring 2021. He underscored that such payment method will not be obligatory but optional.