Chinese and Russian policemen attend a joint anti-terror drill in Manzhouli City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 20, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

MOSCOW, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Russia has prevented 12 terrorist attacks in the first half of this year amid increasing cases of terrorism recruitment and financing, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office said Thursday.

"Thirteen terrorist acts were registered, of which 12 were prevented at stages of preparation and criminal attempt," First Deputy Prosecutor General Alexander Buksman was quoted as saying at a board meeting by Sputnik news agency.

The number of identified cases of assisting terrorism, terrorism recruitment and terrorism financing has grown by 60 percent during that period of time, despite a general decrease in terrorism attacks, Buksman said.

Earlier statistics released by Russia's Federal Security Service showed that Russian law enforcement agencies prevented 16 terrorist attacks in nine Russian cities in 2016.

Russia has strengthened its anti-terrorism efforts since the tragic metro explosion in the Russian city of St. Petersburg in early April which reportedly killed 16 people.

On Wednesday, the Russian government published a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin, which ratifies a convention of the Council of Europe against terrorism financing, and is expected to enhance Russia's cooperation with other countries on combating terrorism financing.