MOSCOW. March 25 (Interfax) - Almost 20 terrorist attacks were averted in Russia last year, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said.
"Thirty-five terrorist crimes, including 19 terrorist attacks, were averted in the country last year," Patrushev said in an interview with the newspaper Izvestia.
The number of instances of so-called phone terrorism, or false bomb threats, has increased in Russia, he said.
"Over 2,000 bomb threats have been received since the beginning of this year. Most of them came from abroad. Some 400 of such callers and emailers have already been determined and some of them have been prosecuted," Patrushev said.
According to earlier reports, a wave of false bomb threats was registered in Moscow in February.