Security to be beefed up during St. Pete anniversary celebrations

Security measures taken during the anniversary decade in St. Petersburg are proportionate in scale to any festive events' security measures, Russian President's Aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky told journalists at the press conference on the beginning of the anniversary decade (May 23 - June 1) at the International Press Centre on Wednesday.

According to him, some 20,000 officers of different power ministries and departments will ensure security in the city during the celebrations of its 300th anniversary, including 3,500 policemen from other Russian regions.

Yastrzhembsky gave an example of the forthcoming G-8 summit in Evian. Some 16,000 policemen are involved in preparations for the summit in the town populated by 7,500. Therefore, 20,000 policemen for multi-million Petersburg are far from excessive, Yastrzhembsky said.