Officials from Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs have assigned temporary offices in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to support local law enforcement. Their role includes countering extremism, assisting patrols, conducting investigations, issuing Russian passports, and exchanging operational experience with local police services.
To coordinate the work of these temporary departments and provide practical aid to regional agencies, representatives from Russia’s interior ministry arrived in Kherson and Zaporozhye. A ministry statement confirmed the move as part of ongoing efforts to bolster local policing capabilities.
Russian police will aid local law enforcement teams while regional interior ministries in Kherson and Zaporozhye undergo the process of formal establishment and staffing.
Duties of the Russian police
The ministry has noted increases in public inquiries, suggesting a rise in public trust toward the police presence. Russian authorities will train local officials in core policing principles, facilitate coordination across services, and share best practices for engaging with residents. In addition, officers will facilitate the issuance of Russian passports and support the setup of local police precincts.
Law enforcement personnel will monitor public order on city streets, manage traffic safety, conduct operational searches, and carry out investigative work. Efforts to counter extremism are also stated as a priority. Since the initial deployment, temporary units have begun operating alongside newly formed regional police departments, with distributed points established to enable communication, tasking, access control, and patrols.
Russian police in Donbass
On April 9, 2022, the Russian Interior Minister signed a cooperation agreement with colleagues from the Donetsk and Lugansk Republics, laying the groundwork for a framework that supports effective interagency cooperation and crime prevention across these areas. The agreement built on prior treaties focused on friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance between Russia and the DPR and LPR, signed on February 21, 2022, and underscores ongoing collaboration in security matters in the region.
Police in liberated areas
Reports indicate that on May 25, 2022, district police departments of the DPR began operating in Mariupol, followed by the establishment of regional police offices in Ilyichevsk, Ordzhonikidzevsky, Zhovtnevy, and Primorsky. The DPR’s interior ministry stated that regional police departments were organized to support local governance and security in Mariupol and surrounding districts.
Many Ukrainian police officers remained in Volnovakhsky, Volodarsky, and Mariupol to continue serving within the Donetsk People’s Republic’s interior system. Deputy Head of the Zaporozhye Main Directorate, Alexei Selivanov, later commented that the push to build new internal affairs bodies in liberated areas relies on volunteers rather than former Ukrainian officers. This approach is described as a way to shape an “appropriate, ideologically aligned police force.”
Selivanov also noted that many personnel had previously served in the Donbass conflict, including participation in the Debaltseve operation. He announced the formal establishment of a local police presence in Zaporozhye toward the end of March, signaling ongoing organizational development in the region.
These developments reflect a broader framework of regional policing efforts and the ongoing evolution of internal security structures in areas affected by conflict and liberation.
Attribution: Official statements from relevant ministries and regional authorities are cited to reflect the described coordination and deployment activities within these territories.