State Duma member Alexander Khinshtein referred to Nurgaliyev as the “the most unpopular minister [in government].” Khinshtein, a vocal critic of Nurgaliyev, is a member of the ruling United Russia party, which supports President Vladimir Putin.
In 2011, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev put forward a series of measures to curb police corruption. Through reevaluation tests aimed at weeding out corruption and incompetence, the police force was cut from 1.2 million to 1 million.
However, few Russians believe the reforms made much difference. Distrust and fear of police prevail.
Russia’s new Interior Minister is the former Moscow Police Chief Vladimir Kolokoltsev.
