MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. Governors will be given additional authority to ensure the security of their regions, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
"Under the current circumstances, I find it necessary to give additional authority to the heads of all Russian regions," Putin said, adding that a corresponding decree had been signed earlier on Wednesday.
The Russian president urged governors "to pay due attention to the implementation of measures aimed at ensuring the safety of the people, security and counter-terrorism protection of critical facilities." He also called for measures to maintain public order, to stabilize the economy and industries and to boost production of items necessary for the special military operation.
"The regional heads will be authorized to set up appropriate headquarters," Putin said, calling on the country’s government, the Defense Ministry and other agencies to assist governors in every possible way.
Separately, he said, governors should act accordingly, depending on the situation in their regions.
Putin also instructed Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and the presidential administration to help coordinate regional efforts to implement the measures envisaged in his decree and demanded that the heads of all Russian regions implement its provisions without delay.