MOSCOW, February 27 (RAPSI) – The number of corruption cases opened by the Investigative Committee in 2013 grew 30%, Chief Investigator Alkesandr Bastrykyn told journalists on Thursday.

According to Bastrykyn, last year, investigators received more than 45,000 complaints about instances of corruption. 28,000 criminal cases were initiated, which is 10,000 more than in 2012.

In 2013 , over 1,600 Russian lawmakers and heads of local government bodies have been indicted for corruption over the past two years, according to Chief Investigator Bastrykin. Corruption-related offenses caused the state about nine billion rubles' worth of damages during this period.

Russia was rated 133 out of 178 countries by international watchdog Transparency International in 2012, and corruption remains endemic, despite a government-led campaign to wipe it out.