Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed...

The pardons, which were announced as Russian Orthodox believers celebrated Christmas and included crimes of light and moderate severity, were "guided by the principles of humanity," the Kremlin said.

"The forms of the pardons vary from reducing the period of imprisonment to being freed from further punishment," the Kremlin statement said.

In his Christmas message, the president said "Christian ideals of morality and mercy...continue to strengthen the moral foundations of our society."

MOSCOW, January 7 (RIA Novosti)