MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized Russia’s Interior Ministry on Friday, saying 45 percent of crimes in the country are left unsolved.

“In total, almost 45 percent of crimes (44.5 percent) remain unsolved. Practically each second [crime]. This is an obvious and evident fact, showing that the work of law enforcement agencies is not efficient enough,” Putin said at an annual Interior Ministry meeting on Friday.

Although the number of crimes registered in the country fell by 4.3 percent last year, statistics showed however that the number of unsolved crimes increased, Putin said.

Some 637 terrorism-related crimes, 24 of them terrorist attacks, were registered in Russia in 2012, Putin said stressing the task for police to “react immediately at any information on the crimes which are being plotted.”

Putin said fight against extremism is a key task for the Interior Ministry. “The activity of extremist organizations must be harshly curbed,” Putin said calling for the ministry’s speedy reaction at any extremist manifestations.

In 2011, Russia launched a sweeping reform of the 1.2-million-strong police force, notorious for corruption and abuse of authority. Some 200,000 officers were purged after reevaluation tests, salaries were raised and the force’s title was changed from the Soviet-era “militia” to universal “police.”