MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR), the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions as four new Russian entities have come within the area of responsibility of Russia’s Southern Military District, according to the updated map posted on the Defense Ministry’s website on Friday.

"The area of responsibility of each Military District embraces a part of Russian territory and overseas territories. In this case, the area of responsibility has been extended due to the integration of new entities into Russia and the inclusion of the DPR and LPR people’s militias into the structure of the Russian Armed Forces," the press office of the Southern Military District explained to TASS.

From September 23 to September 27, 2022, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions held a referendum where an overwhelming majority of voters opted to join Russia.

On September 30, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the DPR and the LPR, the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions signed treaties on their entry to Russia. On October 4, the Russian leader signed the laws on ratifying the treaties on the accession of the four regions to Russia.