Russia has banned entry to 16,000 illegal migrants

Russia has banned entry to 16,000 foreigners so far this year, The Federal Migration Service Head Konstantin Romodanovsky said at the Wednesday meeting of the service's board.

"The ban has already been applied to 16,000 foreigners so far this year," Romodanovsky said. "I demand that all chiefs intensify the work to ban offenders from entering."

In addition, Romodanovsky has suggested that all million-plus cities in Russia should have citizen patrols counteracting illegal migration like those organized in Moscow.

"We should think about the formation of "migration patrols" in megalopolises leading by Moscow's example so that they interact with us," service head .

"The number of foreign citizens arriving in Russia is growing. Illegal migrants may live and work anywhere: at private homes and apartments, industrial premises, transport hubs, airports and public places. Immigration authorities are unable to exercise control on such a vast space due to the limited personnel," he said.