Zee Beam News

MOSCOW. Nov 3 (Interfax) - More than 25 million Russians now live abroad according to a Thursday report by the Russian Interior Ministry. The report marked the establishment of the ministry's department for compatriots. "The department was formed to cater for the Russian expatriate community, which has topped 25 million, including 16-17 million who reside in CIS member states," the report runs. The ministry defines governmental policy and regulates the protection of the rights, legal interests and support to Russians abroad, the report says. The ministry "is directly responsible for the implementation of support programs for expatriate Russians funded by more than 300 million rubles this year from the federal budget," the report runs. "The timely and rational establishment of a new ministerial department for Russians abroad will systematize efforts taken in the key sphere of Russian foreign policy," the report runs.