MOSCOW, February 28 (RAPSI) – The detection rate for murders in Russia has significantly increased in the past five years, and reached 92% in 2017, the Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said during the extended meeting of the Ministry’s Board on Wednesday.

In total, police detected over 900,000 criminally punishable acts last year, according to Kolokoltsev. As for solving crimes concerning grievous bodily injury and sexual offences, their rate went up to 93.5 and 98% respectively. The robbery detection rate rose from 49 to 66%, while the rate of solving armed robberies increased from 67 to 79%.

Over 60,000 individuals, who had fled from prosecution, were arrested including 2,700 persons searched by foreign law enforcement agencies, Kolokoltsev said.

Russian police also took measures aimed at fight against terrorism and extremism, the Minister reported.  In 2017, police liquidated 14 cells of international terrorist organizations and 3 armed gangs in cooperation with the National Guard officers. Four organizations were banned as extremist basing on the Interior Ministry’s findings, he added.

The total number of crimes has decreased, according to the Minister’s report. In particular, the rate for crimes committed by teens has dropped by nearly 33%.