Russian Becomes Interpol Vice President for First Time Since Moscow Joined Body

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian police Maj. Gen. Alexander Prokopchuk was elected vice president of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on Thursday in the first time a Russian citizen took this post in the international organization since it joined the body in 1991, which has been confirmed by the Russian Interior Ministry.

"A Russian citizen not only took the post of the vice-president [of Interpol] for Europe since the accession of our country to Interpol over a quarter of a century ago, but was elected by 127 votes in support with just 10 against and eight abstentions," a source in the Russian delegation to the Interpol General Assemby told RIA Novosti.

Until now, Prokopchuk served as the head of Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Moscow.

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is holding its 85th General Assembly on November 7-10 in Bali, Indonesia. The agenda of the four-day meeting reportedly includes threats posed by terrorists returning to their countries of origins after taking part in combat, as well as the rise of the use of social media as a terrorist recruiting tool.

Earlier in the day, Chinese Vice Minister of Public Security Hongwei Meng was elected new president of Interpol.