China News Service, Moscow, February 26 (Reporter Tian Bing) Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a presidential decree on the 26th, approving the new military administrative divisions of the Russian Federation, including the establishment of the Moscow Military District and the Leningrad Military District.

The presidential decree takes effect from March 1.

The relevant documents were published on the official Russian legal information portal on the same day.

  According to the document, the administrative divisions of the Moscow Military District include Belgorod Oblast, Bryansk Oblast, Vladimir Oblast, Voronezh Oblast, Ivanovo Oblast, Kaluga Oblast, Kostroma Oblast, Kursk Oblast, Lippe Oblast. Tsk Oblast, Moscow Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Orel Oblast, Ryazan Oblast, Smolensk Oblast, Tambov Oblast, Tver Oblast, Tula Oblast, Yaroslavl Oblast and the city of Moscow.

  The administrative divisions of the Leningrad Military District include the Republic of Karelia, the Komi Republic, the Arkhangelsk Oblast, the Vologda Oblast, the Kaliningrad Oblast, the Leningrad Oblast, the Murmansk Oblast, and the Novgorod Oblast. , Pskov Oblast, Nenets Autonomous Okrug and St. Petersburg City.

Documents show that the military administrative division of the Northern Fleet has been included in the newly formed Leningrad Military District.

  According to this presidential decree, the Western Military District ceased to exist and was replaced by the Moscow Military District and the Leningrad Military District.

In Russia's military reform in 2010, the Western Military District was established on the basis of the original Moscow Military District and Leningrad Military District.

  The presidential decree also determined the military administrative divisions of the Southern Military District, the Central Military District, and the Eastern Military District.

Among them, Zaporozhye, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions were included in the Southern Military District.

  Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated in December 2022 that after Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO, as a measure to deal with NATO’s increase in military strength and expansion in Russia’s border areas, it was necessary to establish the Moscow Military District and the Leningrad Military District to strengthen Russia’s Military strength in the western border region.

(over)