Putin Says Russia To Create National Guard To Fight Terrorism, Organized Crime

Russian President Vladimir Putin (file photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia is creating a national guard to fight terrorism and organized crime.

"The decisions have been taken, we are creating a new federal body of executive power," Putin told a meeting with his key security officials in the Kremlin on April 5.

The National Guard will be created on the basis of the Interior Ministry's troops, Putin said.

He said that Russia's drug enforcement agency and federal migration service would be now subordinate to the Interior Ministry.

Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax