New regions do not go roundabout – Newspaper Kommersant No. 41 (7486) of 03/13/2023

Almost six months after four new subjects joined the Russian Federation, these territories are still outside the usual regional administrative vertical: they are not included in any federal district and do not have their own plenipotentiary. Kommersant’s interlocutors say that this issue is not yet on the Kremlin’s agenda, because the presidential administration directly manages the new regions, and the task of the plenipotentiaries is to coordinate the work of local departments of federal bodies, which in this case are just being formed. The issue of plenipotentiary representation can be resolved after the elections in these subjects, and even after the actual fixing of the borders with Ukraine, the expert suggests.

The speaker of the State Council (Parliament) of Crimea, the head of the commission of the Council of Legislators on the integration of new subjects in the legal system of the Russian Federation Vladimir Konstantinov. “There is no point in dragging it out. During our last visits to Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson region, it became clear that the integration processes must be kept under control. These issues are very difficult, we are well aware of the fate of the Crimea,” Mr. Konstantinov said, adding that at one time the creation of the Crimean Federal District (KFD) made it possible “to resolve issues quickly, on the spot.”

Recall that the CFD was created on March 21, 2014 – three days after the signing of the agreement on the entry of Crimea and Sevastopol into the Russian Federation and simultaneously with the signing of the corresponding constitutional law. The district was headed by a native of the structures of the Ministry of Defense Oleg Belaventsev, who worked as a presidential plenipotentiary until the abolition of the CFD. On July 28, 2016, Crimea and Sevastopol “in order to increase the efficiency of public authorities” became part of the Southern Federal District. At that time, the presidential administration (AP) explained this step by the end of the “transitional period” in the process of integrating new subjects.

On the eve of the entry of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions into the Russian Federation (the relevant agreements were signed on September 30, 2022), Vedomosti reported that the CFD could be recreated in an expanded composition – in addition to Crimea and Sevastopol, it could allegedly include new territories. The sources of the publication called the former Deputy Prime Minister and ex-head of Roskosmos Dmitry Rogozin the main candidate for the post of plenipotentiary representative, explaining that in such a difficult situation, a “political heavyweight” should lead the federal district. However, after the joining of the subjects, neither the creation of the CFD nor the appointment of Mr. Rogozin as an plenipotentiary followed.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on March 6 that no decisions had yet been made on the inclusion of new subjects in any federal district in the Presidential Administration, although “various options are being studied.” “Decisions will be made in a timely manner if necessary,” Mr. Peskov assured.

Sources close to the leadership of the two new entities told Kommersant that the Kremlin did not communicate decisions on this matter to the local authorities, so no preparatory work is being done on their part. “The presidential administration has taken over the functions of the federal district and is successfully coping with it,” State Duma deputy Viktor Vodolatsky, who oversees the LPR, told Kommersant. “This issue may be relevant already in the process of stabilization, complete liberation of these territories from nationalists. Now, as they say, direct control of the Presidential Administration.” A similar point of view is shared by State Duma deputy Igor Kastyukevich, who oversees the Kherson region. “One of the main ways of integration is the formation of a legislative power structure (the regions joined the Russian Federation without functioning parliaments, their elections should be held on September 10.— “b”). I think, as all the structures are formed, so will the issue of the federal district,” Mr. Kastyukevich told Kommersant.

Two Kommersant sources in the Presidential Administration say that the issue of creating a federal district is not yet on the Kremlin’s agenda. One of them believes that this issue is unlikely to arise before elections are held in the new territories, the other believes that this will not happen until the end of the special military operation. “Everyone who talks about this issue forgets what the plenipotentiaries are doing. They are needed to coordinate the work of departments of federal departments. And most of them are not working in the new territories now, ”explains another Kommersant source close to the AP.

Political strategist Yevgeny Minchenko believes that the issue of the federal district in the new territories is irrelevant for the Kremlin for obvious reasons. “There is a fight going on right now. I think that after all, when the demarcation line is somehow more or less clear, the number of regions and their real administrative borders settle down, then it will make sense to create a new federal district,” the expert explains.

Andrey Ash, Andrey Vinokurov