The Kremlin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, weighed in on the proposal to form a single federal district encompassing the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions. He stated that no final decision has been made yet and that a range of options is being examined. Decisions will be announced in a timely fashion if they prove necessary, the spokesman noted. [Source: Kremlin press service]
Earlier, Vladimir Konstantinov, who formerly led the Crimean Parliament, suggested that moves toward faster integration could see the areas that joined Russia in September consolidate into one federal district. He argued that any new subjects of the Russian Federation should be guided by a strong, capable leadership team. His proposal included appointing a dedicated federal district or designating a deputy prime minister with broad authority in the federal government to oversee the integration effort directly in the regions. [Source: regional leadership statements]
The context of these discussions traces back to February 24, 2022, when President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to requests for assistance from the heads of the DPR and LPR. The aim, as stated by the Kremlin, was to offer protection in the Donbass region. The subsequent referendums held in September led to the incorporation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, into the Russian Federation. Analysts and officials have since debated governance arrangements, potential administrative consolidations, and the mechanisms by which integration could be managed across the newly incorporated territories. [Source: official statements and regional inquiries]