MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - In the past few days, the Federal Migration Service (FMS) has detained over 60 foreigners trying to illegally cross into the EU from the Murmansk region.
"Sixty-five foreign citizens have been put to FMS facilities since March 4 for trying to illegally use the territory of the Russian Federation as a transit zone in their travel to EU countries via the Murmansk region. We are interacting with the Finnish partners," Federal Migration Service head Konstantin Romodanovsky told Interfax on Tuesday.
He said the detainees were facing administrative deportation to the country of arrival.
Romodanovsky said at a FMS Board meeting on February 26 that Russia might encounter an increase in the number of refugees coming from the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.
"We should be prepared for the danger related to uncontrolled migration processes in Europe," he said.
"The number of refugees coming from the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia may grow, and they may try to use Russia as a country of destination or transit to European states," he said.