MOSCOW, July 31 (RAPSI) – Russia’s Interior Ministry will help the telecommunications regulator, Roskomnadzor, expose online violations, an official ministry spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

“No specialized Internet policing divisions will be established at the Interior Ministry,” said Andrei Pilipchuk. “However, we will provide assistance to Roskomnadzor in view of the adoption of a new federal law. We will continue to closely cooperate with the telecommunications authority if it exposes online violations, including extremism related offenses.”

Amendments to the law On Information, Information Technology and Information Protection and to other Russian laws, designed to streamline information exchange through information and telecommunication systems, will become effective on August 1, 2014.

Pilipchuk said the Roskomnadzor staff would take administrative measures, specifically fines, against online violators, whereas criminal persecution would remain the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.