Ukraine's interior minister notes growth in street crime since early 2009

14:38

Ukrainian Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko has said that the level of street crime grew by 12% in the country in the first quarter of 2009.

"The level of street crime has grown by 5-10% in the regions. But in general, this level grew by 12% throughout Ukraine in the first quarter of this year," he told journalists before a government meeting on Wednesday.

Lutsenko said that this growth of crime is linked to the unemployment rate, prison amnesties and the return of Ukrainian migrant workers from Western Europe.

"It is apparent that many people who have lost their income are now choosing a criminal way to earn their living," he said.

He said that the Ukrainian Interior Ministry had increased the number of police units on the streets by 30% and added that an additional contingent of interior troops would be sent to problem regions, including Donetsk region, from April 1 in order to help local law enforcement agencies to "rein in the wave of street crime."

"In general, we are being tasked to prevent the disorder of the 1990s from returning to Ukraine's streets. I am absolutely confident that we will fulfill this task," Lutsenko said.