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![President Vladimir Putin has ordered the establishment of a new anti-corruption department in the presidential administration, according to a decree published Tuesday [Getty Images]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/russia.jpg)
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the establishment of a new anti-corruption department in the presidential administration, according to a decree published Tuesday [Getty Images]
Russia ranked 127th out of 177 countries on a 2013 corruption perceptions ranking published Tuesday by anti-graft organisation Transparency International, showing little change since last year.
Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, told a meeting of the Parliamentary security and anti-corruption committee that the damages amounted to more than nine billion rubles.
However, four billion rubles had been recovered in the form of property seized from people convicted of corruption.
Bastrykin also disclosed that more than 1,600 lawmakers and local government officials at various levels of responsibility had been prosecuted for corruption in 2012-13, as well as 16 judges and 216 lawyers.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the establishment of a new anti-corruption department in the presidential administration, according to a decree published Tuesday.
It will monitor current anti-corruption laws and suggest legislative reforms to counter corruption, the Kremlin said.
Despite a recent high profile anti-corruption campaign, even government officials admit that billions of dollars are paid in bribes in Russia every year and that graft remains an endemic problem.
Source: Ria Novosti
