Events

Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin, held an operational meeting via video conference on the results of the work of territorial investigative authorities in combating crimes in the migration field. The event was also attended by the First Deputy and Deputies of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, heads of divisions of the central office and heads of regional investigative bodies of the agency.

At the meeting, it was noted that the situation in the migration field remains tense, causing concern among law enforcement agencies and citizens. While there has been some decrease in the level of migrant crime, the public danger of the crimes they commit remains high. For instance, last year, foreigners committed 21,000 crimes, which is 6% lower than the previous year. However, the number of serious crimes committed by migrants has increased by 11% (from 3,961 to 4,385). The number of crimes committed by individuals illegally residing in Russia more than tripled, from 1,787 to 6,082. The number of criminal acts by labor migrants is also on the rise.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia noted that the illegal and antisocial activities of incoming foreign citizens have a significant negative impact on interethnic relations in the country. He provided examples of high-profile incidents that caused outrage among the indigenous population of Russia.

In the first six months of this year, the number of criminal cases sent to courts regarding crimes committed by foreign citizens exceeded the number for the same period last year by one-third. In addition to migrant crimes, official misconducts and malpractice by responsible officials related to the illegal acquisition of Russian citizenship by foreigners, their fictitious registration, and record-keeping are not being left without procedural consequences. In 2024, 109 criminal cases against officials for crimes in the migration field have been sent to court for consideration, which is two and a half times more cases than in the same period last year.

A.I. Bastrykin listened to reports from the heads of several investigative departments on the meeting's subject matter. Acting head of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Sverdlovsk Region, K.V. Miroshnichenko, reported on the results of reviewing reports on illegal activities by migrants identified through monitoring media and social media. He also commented on the crime rate among migrants in his jurisdiction, citing sexual offenses and bribery as the most common.

The head of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Tyumen Region, A.A. Kublyakov, provided data on migration flows and places of employment for foreign citizens. He also reported on the results of interactions with the executive authorities of the region and the introduction of restrictions on certain types of employment for migrants.

The head of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Moscow, A.A. Strizhov, reported on the situation in the capital. Using specific criminal cases as examples, he provided current information on the work to prevent, detect, and investigate crimes committed by migrants. Acting head of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region, Ya.A. Yakovlev, also reported on activities in this area. He noted that executed law enforcement activities have helped reduce the latency of crimes committed by migrants.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia also listened to the report from the acting head of the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for St. Petersburg, O.V. Bobkov, who provided detailed information on the circumstances of several high-profile crimes involving minors with a migration background.

During the meeting, the head of the agency paid special attention to the issue of military registration for naturalized citizens of Russia. He emphasized that investigators of the Investigative Committee of Russia should actively participate in joint raids with law enforcement and other competent bodies to draft register those who evade military enlistment. A.I. Bastrykin stressed the importance of migrants acquiring not only the rights but also the duties of Russian citizens. "If one refuses military draft – he loses citizenship," he added.

After hearing the reports, the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia issued several instructions, specifying deadlines for their execution. In particular, he instructed the regional heads to prepare information on the crime situation in the migration sphere and to make substantiated proposals on the feasibility of introducing several restrictions in the field of labor employment for migrants. A.I. Bastrykin also instructed to pay close attention to the control by authorized bodies over the activities of organizations that hire foreign labor.

At the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia emphasized: "The situation is alarming throughout the country." Addressing the attendees, he added: "I urge you once again to intensify your work in this direction."