Police officers in the Rostov region of southern Russia are being compensated for the amounts they are offered in bribes, according to a new anti-corruption initiative announced by the region’s police chief on Tuesday.
Alexander Rechitsky, who leads the Rostov branch of the Interior Ministry, informed reporters that officers who decline bribes will receive full reimbursement as an incentive for their principled stance, effectively allowing them to retain the money.
“Every bribe presented to an officer is fully reimbursed in accordance with my directive,” Rechitsky stated, as reported by the state-run news outlet TASS. He characterized the initiative as “a reward for upholding a strong anti-corruption position.”
Over the past two months, the police force has initiated 25 criminal cases against those suspected of offering bribes, although Rechitsky did not reveal the total amount of money involved.
Since January, police in the Rostov region have successfully thwarted 260 bribery attempts, with officers independently uncovering 135 of those cases. In total, authorities reported identifying 767 corruption-related offenses during the first half of 2025.
Looking ahead, Rechitsky mentioned that the police will focus on combating phone scams, financial crimes, illegal logging, and the trafficking of alcohol and drugs for the remainder of the year.
