People celebrate the New Year's Day on Palace Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, on January 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Irina Motina)

MOSCOW, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Some 8.6 million Russian people participated in the celebrations on the New Year night with security measures tightened, the Russian Interior Ministry said Monday.

About 75,000 officers of law enforcement bodies ensured the public order during more than 14,000 New Year celebration events across the country, the ministry said in a statement.

More than 11,000 members of National Guards, 5,800 personnel of private security organizations and 11,200 members of militia units were involved in the security operations, according to the statement.

Police officers continued to serve in places of mass gatherings, it added.

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