ST. PETERSBURG. Nov 7 (Interfax) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has asked the interdepartmental group on the prevention of economic crimes to intensify its work and take under its control the use of the state funds allocated for the support of the country's economy.

"There is a need to intensify the work of the interdepartmental group on the prevention of economic crimes. It is composed of officials from the Interior Ministry, the Federal Security Service, the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service, and the Central Bank. They need to work together as closely as possible now," Medvedev told a meeting addressing the improvement of the work of the law enforcement agencies in St. Petersburg on Friday.

The president said some people in Russia are trying to use the consequences of the world financial crisis in their own interests. "The state allocates serious funds for the support of the domestic economy and financial system," he said. "Over one trillion rubles has been allocated for the strengthening of the banking system alone," Medvedev said.