"From 2005, Russian citizenship has been granted to some 400,000 people a year, and over 150,000 people annually receive temporary residence permits," he said.
In addition, since July 2008, approximately 7,000 Russians have returned to the country from former Soviet republics as part of a state-run resettlement program.
"Sufficient funds for the relocation of 600,000 people will be allocated from the federal budget," the spokesman said.
A total of 66,000 people have applied for relocation - 36,000 of them have already submitted the necessary documents. Russians mainly return from Kazakhstan (30%), Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Kyrgyzstan (10-14% each).
People who decide to return to Russia under the resettlement program can choose between 12 Russian regions. The regions are in the country's Far East, Siberia, Central Russia and the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
