The Interior Ministry of the Russian Federation has released a report on the number crimes committed in the country by foreigners.

RTVI, citing the report, says that in 2020-2022, the number of crimes committed in the Russian Federation by foreign nationals increased by one third.  

During the period of 2022 and five months of 2023, foreign nationals reportedly committed 175,180. 271 crimes and Uzbek nationals accounted for 40 percent of crimes committed over the reporting period.

Tajikistan with 25 percent and Kyrgyzstan with13 percent are also among the top three countries in terms of the number of crimes committed in Russia during the period of 2022 and five months of 2023

Citizens of Turkmenistan (325 crimes), Georgia (320 crimes) and Abkhazia (115) crimes were reportedly least likely to be included in the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports over the reporting period.  

More often, foreign nationals were charged with drug trafficking (Article 228 of Russia’s Penal Code).  In 2021, 3,341 foreign nationals were charged with drug trafficking; in 2022, their number increased to 6,447 people; and over the first five months of 2023, 4,385 foreign nationals were charged with drug trafficking.  The report notes that more often, citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were accused of this crime.  

The number of foreigners charged with murder has reportedly also increased in Russian federation: from 2021 to 2022, the number of murders committed in Russia by foreigners reportedly increased by 52 percent (from 161 cases in 2021 to 246 cases in 2022). 

Over the first four months of last year, 90 foreign nationals were charged with murder in Russia.    More often, citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan were charged with murder over the reporting period.